Justice Complete
by The Dude Slayer
Summary: Kaji has been targeted for termination. Who get's the job? How about an old friend from the accademy. Will he be able to do the job or will he back out? Will Kaji die, or is there more to the world than we know.
1. Default Chapter

Neon Genesis Evangelion  
Justice Complete  
Part 1  
  
  
  
  
The sun was shining brightly over the expansive campus. The   
trees provided perfect cover as a shadowy figure made its way across   
the campus towards the Science building.  
  
Kaji and Misato patiently waited outside the Academy's Science   
building. As per usual Misato was coming to retrieve the day's notes   
from her roommate. As they waited, unbeknownst to them a shadowy   
figure closed the distance between himself and them.  
  
Silently a tanned man of Latino origin neared the pair of lovers.   
His short ebony hair framed his carefree face. The obsidian trenchcoat   
he wore billowed in the gentle wind as he stalked. A smile made its   
way to his deep tan features.  
  
Kaji gently rubbed Misato's back as they waited. "When does she   
get out of class?"  
Misato grabbed Kaji's arm and looked at his wristwatch, also   
providing him the chance to cop a feel. "Ten minutes." She released   
his arm. "And don't grope me in public," she giggled childishly.  
Kaji smiled as he leaned back against the bench. "Hai, hai."  
  
The shadow man watched as he stepped up behind the pair of Asian   
lovers. Neither seemed to notice him standing there, until Ritsuko   
arrived.  
  
Ritsuko appeared almost out of nowhere beside Kaji. She paid no   
mind to the man standing behind her friends. Ritsuko opened her   
notebook and handed over a pile of papers to the happy smiling purple   
haired woman. "Misato, if you keep skipping class you will never   
graduate." Ritsuko sternly scolded her roommate.  
Misato grinned cutely at the blonde. "Chill out Ritsu."  
Ritsuko glared as she stood up. "I have work to do. I'll see   
you three later." Deftly Ritsuko walked away from the group. When she   
was a few meters away she turned and looked back. "Hey Jude!" She   
smirked and continued across the campus.  
  
Misato and Kaji shared a confused look before looking behind   
them. Standing there was a tall man dressed in all black, including a   
pair of black mirror shades.  
Misato smiled as she jumped at the man and hugged him fiercely.   
"JC-kun!!!"  
Kaji stood and walked beside his girlfriend. "JC." Kaji stuck   
his hand out, which JC shook.  
"Kaji. Kit Kat." JC grinned devilishly. "I wish Rit-chan   
hadn't done that."  
Misato smiled. "Why? Were you trying to sneak a peek?"  
JC pulled a CD from his coat. "Why, when I have surveillance   
from your apartments."  
Both Kaji and Misato shared a surprised and almost angry look.  
JC chuckled. "All that surveillance training and late night Bond   
movies have come in handy." JC turned the CD over and showed it was   
Santana's "Supernatural".  
Misato growled. "Baka." She smiled quickly. "If you weren't   
such a good friend."  
JC smirked. "I know." He snapped his fingers. "Before I   
forget. I'm having a party at my place tomorrow night. Could you find   
Rit-chan and tell her?"  
Kaji nodded. "Sure thing."  
JC bowed slightly. "Arigoto." He turned on his heel and   
disappeared into the throng of students.  
  
It wasn't until after he was gone that Misato and Kaji noticed   
that the entire conversation had taken place in Japanese. By then   
their American friend was long gone.  
  
  
  
The next night JC's apartment was full of drunken college   
students. The party had long since hit full swing. Misato had   
finished off her twelfth Guinness and was starting in on a new one.   
Kaji was downing tequila shots with a large red haired man of Irish   
decent. JC and Ritsuko were sharing stories of job opportunities.  
A strange Calypso drum beat sounded from the expensive sound   
system lining one wall of the apartment. Its calming steel drum sound   
providing enough beat to keep couples dancing and still allowing people   
to talk.  
  
JC looked around the room as the song neared its end. He stood   
and asked if Ritsuko would excuse him. When she nodded he bowed and   
moved off to the stereo. Silently JC's hand came out and lowered the   
volume of the music.  
The crowd in the room turned, ready to kill the offending party.   
Once everyone's attention was on him JC smiled. He held up his hands   
in defense of his actions.  
"Welcome everyone." JC's thick Spanish accent contrasted greatly   
with the German he was speaking. "I want to than you all for attending   
this little soiree." He grinned happily. "Unlike most of my parties,   
which were mostly Misato's idea," most of the guests laughed, "this   
party is being held for a serious reason."  
JC took a deep breath and steadied himself. As his friends   
watched he noted the looks on each of their faces. "GERHIN contacted   
me earlier this week. Seems that the security teams there accepted my   
application. I'll be headed for Tokyo the day after tomorrow."  
  
A collective gasp could be heard. Everyone gathered knew that   
JC's goal was to join GERHIN security, maybe even make it to Section 2   
someday. Of course no one expected him to succeed in getting that   
position with another year to go at the Academy.  
  
Kaji, always the suave one, crossed the room to his friend. "JC.   
We are all shocked to hear that you will not be with us next semester.   
But we are all happy for you as well. You got the job you were hoping   
for." He flashed a familiar, calming smile to his friend and the room   
of people. "So why don't we all make your last day in Germany a   
blast!"  
The room exploded in the cheers of twenty drunken college   
students. The music returned to its previous decibel level. The   
drinks flowed and the party continued as if it had never been   
interrupted.  
  
Kaji waved Misato and Ritsuko towards the balcony as he led JC   
through the mass of people to where they could enjoy some quite place   
to talk. When the four friends met up on the balcony JC took his usual   
spot, leaning against the rail directly in front of the patio doors.   
He leaned over the rail looking out over the campus that had been his   
home for almost five years.  
JC turned and looked at his close Japanese friends. "Well guys.   
It's been a blast knowing you all. Gotta say, I enjoyed every minute   
of it. And I'll miss you, that includes you Rit-chan."  
Misato, always the emotional one, ran to her older friend and   
wrapped her arms around him. She hugged ardently, nearly crushing her   
tan friend's rib cage. "Why?" A small stream of warm tears fell from   
her eyes soaking her friend's black satin shirt.  
JC stroked Misato's hair, trying to calm her. "Shhh. Kit Kat,   
please, don't cry." Vainly he attempted to blink back the tears   
threatening to fall down his face. "We all knew this day was going to   
happen soon enough. When we joined the Academy we knew that someday   
we'd have to leave the friends we'd made here." He lifted Misato's   
chin so he could look into her eyes. "I'll be in Tokyo 3. You and   
Rit-chan will be there soon enough. I promise; someday we'll all meet   
up there."  
  
Kaji looked at his friend and then to his girlfriend. A slight   
ping of jealousy flickered through him. He pushed it away and scolded   
himself. "JC's right. We'll all be hanging out together before you   
notice the time had past."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A shadowy figure stood at the edge of a small hill over looking a   
valley. The only thing in the valley was an expensive villa. He   
placed the binoculars down and picked up the sniper rifle sitting next   
to him.  
  
The night sky was filled with clouds of all sorts. The moon was   
nearly blocked out, which suited the man just fine. He preferred the   
darkness when he worked.  
Kneeling down the man lifted the elongated rifle to his right   
eye. He looked through the night vision scope attached to the rifle.   
Directly in his line of sight was a largely obese man in a white suit.   
He paced back and forth nervously. The man looked at the hourglass on   
his desk.  
The white sands filtered through the hole into the glass's bottom   
section. Time was running out for him, and he knew it. The Hourglass   
Assassin had delivered the glass almost exactly twenty four hours ago.   
Finally the last grain of sand had fallen through the glass, his   
reckoning was here.  
  
The shadow man lay down on the wet grass of the hill. The rain   
earlier had soaked everything in the Colombian valley. The miles of   
marijuana, opium, and other plants happily fed off the sweet humid   
water. The rain also provided that anyone on foot would have a hard   
time following the man.  
  
Inhaling deeply the man steadied his rifle on a rock. As he held   
his breath, he slowly pulled back on the trigger. Halfway back the man   
slowly exhaled and pulled the trigger back, firing the high speed round   
from his weapon.  
A second later the fat man fell to the floor, dead. Two seconds   
later his bodyguard was dead next to him. Two seconds after that the   
guard outside the door was dead. None of them knew they were dead   
until it had been too late.  
The shadow man sat up and quickly began disassembling his rifle.   
As he carefully removed each piece he placed it in its waterproof carry   
bag. The gun easily came apart and was stored within seconds. The   
shadow man stood and carried the case to the "borrowed" Jeep a few   
meters away, where he'd stored the rest of his gear.  
The man placed the gun in the back with his other rifles and   
pulled out a large RPG-3 launcher. He cocked a large red, black, and   
yellow grenade into the launcher and steadied it on his shoulder.   
Aiming the hefty weapon the shadow figure steadied himself against the   
Jeep and fired, sending the grenade along its intended path.  
  
The house exploded in a fireball of immense proportions. Which   
only grew as the second shot was fired destroying what was left of the   
house and the fields.  
The man tossed the launcher into the Jeep and sighed. Another   
drug-lord another multimillion. He climbed into the front seat and   
turned the engine over. As quietly as possible the man drove off into   
the night and to the closest bar.  
  
  
A few hours later wearing black jeans, a black T-shirt, and a   
black trenchcoat a shadowy figure tread into a small saloon. He found   
his way to an empty stool at the bar where he ordered a bottle of Jack   
Daniel's. The Hourglass Assassin drank himself to sleep that night.  
  
Sometime in the mid-afternoon something awoke the assassin. It   
was the feel of someone tapping on his aching skull. Not a good thing   
to do to someone with a hangover, even worse when that person can kill   
you forty-seven different ways unarmed. The Assassin reached up and   
grabbed the person's arm and pushed it off his back and down, breaking   
it at the elbow.  
The man fell to the ground screaming in pain. The Assassin stood   
and walked to the front door of the saloon, where thirty men in Kevlar   
with large guns waited. The Assassin reached into his trenchcoat and   
removed the pair of Navy SEAL issue Dessert Eagles, carefully he   
checked for possible jams and that the 32 shot magazines were full.   
Positive on both accounts.  
The Assassin replaced one of the guns and reached into his   
pocket. Happily he found he did indeed have a single grenade left.   
Placing a pair of earplugs in his ears he pulled the pin on the device   
and threw it out the door of the saloon. The resulting explosion   
killed at least three people and destroyed one car.  
  
Sneaking through the back door, the Assassin carefully made his   
way through the underbrush. Desperately he hoped he'd make it to the   
waiting plane. As he snuck away from his would be killers he wondered   
if Frank was still waiting on him, or if the pilot had left yet. He   
WAS almost two hours late.  
  
  
Frank Bama sat in his plane fuming. He'd been here almost three   
hours, and would have left already if the man he was picking up hadn't   
been his best customer. For the past three years this guy had   
repeatedly hired him for jaunts to all parts of the world. Frank never   
asked questions, it wasn't his place.  
He knew his client was a Key West native, like himself. That   
made finding each other easier. Frank also knew that whatever job his   
client had it ensured that he carried a LOT of firepower. Frank knew   
the man couldn't be a drug runner, because he could have afforded his   
own plane. Frank sighed figuring the man was either a bounty hunter or   
an assassin, either of which he didn't want to know.  
  
A flash of light glinted off the horizon catching Frank's eye.   
Frank shot up in his seat and began searching all bands on his VHF   
radio for any news. That's when he saw it. A black clad figure   
running at him firing over his shoulder into the brush.  
Bullets streaked past Frank's client, his client fired back.   
Frank lowered the stairs allowing his client a way into the place   
before he was killed.  
  
The Assassin rolled out of the underbrush firing like mad. As   
he'd been running a patrol had stumbled upon him, causing this present   
fire fight. Swearing he looked down to his left arm where a small hole   
had been ripped open by the high caliber bullet that had ripped through   
his upper left triceps.  
'The wound can wait 'til I get on the plane' he thought as he   
released the clip in his right gun and quickly replaced it. With a   
flip of his wrist he dropped his sunglasses into place, activating the   
infrared sensors built in. In the distance he could see three people   
moving in from his immediate right, two coming straight at him, and one   
large mass moving in from the left.  
Cursing the Assassin holstered his left gun and began patting   
down his trenchcoat for any explosives he might have left. 'Damn! Now   
I wish I hadn't hit the bar last night. I could use that RPG   
launcher.' Shrugging the man turned his Desert Eagle's laser sight on.   
Taking careful aim he fired two bullets in front on himself, taking out   
both of the men.  
Not caring to press his luck the Assassin cocked the large,   
powerful pistol and ran for the seaplane that was slowly starting its   
dual prop engines.  
  
  
Frank ran a hand through his light brown hair. "Come on man.   
Where are you." Frank could easily see the men with the guns coming at   
him, and the last thing he wanted were holes in his plane. Frank   
pushed the throttle up hoping the propellers would get started.  
"I hate cold start ups." Frank primed the pumps on the number   
two engine repeatedly hoping it would turn over. "Come on baby. Don't   
let me down now."  
  
The Assassin fired off two more shots to his left. Two more men   
went down. The bullets still flew by his face. Not wanting to waste   
any time the Assassin ran full sprint towards the plane. Occasionally   
he could feel a bullet or two bounce off his Kevlar lined trenchcoat,   
making him glad he didn't break down and buy the leather like he'd   
originally planed.  
"FRANK! FIRE THE ENGINES!" The Assassin threw himself into the   
cargo hold of the old Grumman Goose. Just as he was pulling the gang   
plank up a large Latino man in khakis with an old AK-47 jumped onto the   
plane. The Assassin kicked the man in the side of the head and pulled   
the stairs up before anyone else could get inside.  
Frank fired up the engines and taxied the large plane off the   
runway and into the air. The Hemisphere Dancer was soon on its way back   
home to the Conch Republic. Out of nowhere a shot rang out, scaring   
Frank, who took a look back behind him into the cargo hold.  
The Assassin shot the man between the eyes, not caring about the   
blood on his clothes or Frank's plane. Silently he pushed the safety   
down on his pistol and began checking for jams and possible problems.   
Finding none he holstered the weapon and lifted the man into a   
fireman's hold.  
The Assassin opened the gangplank and threw the man out of the   
low flying plane, into the Colombian rain forest. He closed the door   
and leaned against the bulkhead letting his adrenaline and heart beat   
slow down.  
  
Frank turned back to his controls and was soon flying himself and   
his crazy client back home. The plane was quiet except for the   
constant hum of the engines. Frank was happy he'd survived this trip.  
  
The Assassin stood up and took a deep breath, which he slowly   
released through his teeth. He walked to the copilot's seat where he   
sat down. He picked up the headset and placed it over his ears.   
"Frank, you hear me?"  
"Roger that JC. Whatcha need?"  
The Assassin touched his shoulder. "First aid kit. You got one   
around here?"  
Frank nodded. "Yeah. Behind your seat there should be one."  
The Assassin reached behind his seat and found what was indeed a   
large First Aid kit. He began rummaging through it looking for some   
painkillers and antiseptic. The man found the antiseptic and poured it   
on his wound, causing him to wince painfully.  
Frank watched as his client pulled a pocketknife out of his   
pocket and began digging around in his left shoulder. He'd seen guys   
doing this back during the Post Second Impact wars. Quicker than a   
doctor or field medic, and usually more trustworthy too. His client   
pulled an unexploded shell from his shoulder and sighed.  
The Assassin looked at the shell in his hands. "Fucking   
bastards. They weren't trying to just kill me, they were gonna blow me   
up." He smirked. "Too bad for them they failed." The man reached   
into his pocket and removed a large radio detonator.  
  
The Assassin pushed the single red button on the remote. Far   
behind the plane a giant plume of black smoke and fire pushed its way   
into the sky. He tossed the detonator into the back of the plane with   
his coat.  
Frank looked at his client. "JC, you gonna be alright?"  
JC nodded. "I'll survive. It'll take a day or two at the beach,   
some time at Sloppy Joe's, and maybe a visit by the hospital for some   
painkillers. But yeah, I'll survive."  
"That's good."  
"That it is. Oh before I forget. We need to stop by No See Her   
Cay before we go back to the Conch."  
Frank looked confused. "Why?"  
JC raised an eyebrow at the pilot. "I assumed you'd want to be   
paid. But if not, let's just head back to the Conch."  
"No, no, no. We'll stop. It's just..."  
"I know. No one stops by the Cayman Islands nowadays. But my   
bank is there, so we need to stop off."  
"Why the Caymans?"  
JC looked at his pilot. "Good interest rates, annual return of   
12%, and no taxes."  
Frank nodded. "Good point." Frank turned the plane Northeast   
and headed for the Cayman Islands.  
  
  
  
JC walked back to the plane counting through a stack of bills.   
He stepped upto Frank and handed him the stack. "Six thousand four   
hundred, just like we agreed."  
Frank quickly counted the money for himself. He looked up at   
JC's smiling face. "I'd ask how you make all this money, but after   
that little shoot-out earlier I think I know."  
JC shrugged. "What can I say Frank. Pirates aren't the only   
one's that kill people." JC pulled his coat closed. "Anyway. I only   
go for evil people. Drug dealers, mob bosses, politicians, military   
leaders, that kind of people. Women, children, and innocents are a no   
go with me."  
"An assassin with morals. Will wonders never cease?"  
JC shrugged. "I don't know man. All I know is that I'm paying   
the bills for both of us." JC smiled happily. "So you wanna swing by   
Sloppy Joe's and grab a beer when we get back?"  
Frank looked JC over and shrugged. "Why not. Just tell me one   
thing. What made you chose to become an assassin?"  
JC shivered as he remembered something.  
  
"Kiyone! Kiyone!" A younger JC dragged himself across the   
floor of the smoke filled armaments building. He and his partner had   
been separated in the initial blast.  
A young woman dressed in a black NERV Security uniform   
coughed. She was leaning against a wall holding her right side. Blood   
seeped from the gaping hole that a few minutes ago had been her right   
arm. "J...C..." she coughed again, a small rivulet of blood dripped   
from her mouth.  
JC fell to his knees. "Kiyone! NO!" Tears flowed down   
JC's cheeks as he held his dying partner. He could feel her heartbeat   
slow. As if in slow motion JC lifted Kiyone's face to his and gently   
pressed his lips to hers.  
Kiyone looked up at her partner with blurred vision. A   
gentle smile crossed her exotic features. "J...C...promise me...you'll   
be good...For me...please..."  
JC nodded. "Yes, of course." Tears long held back were   
falling from his deep obsidian eyes like crystal raindrops.  
Kiyone smiled. "I...love...you..." Blood ebbed from the   
side of her mouth.  
JC fell onto her body wailing in pain and loss.  
  
  
Frank shook JC. "Hey man. You alright?"  
JC looked at his pilot. "Huh? Oh yeah. Um...let's get outta   
here. Maybe we'll luck out and I'll have made the papers again. You   
know Rudy, he loves making me seem like some kind of hero."  
Frank shook his head. "Rudy's a dick. I don't know why you read   
that shit he writes."  
JC smirked. "I like how he puts me on a pedestal. It's not   
every hired gun that can be called a national hero."  
"Rudy only thinks you're a hero cuz you didn't put a bullet in   
his fat lard ass when he broke into your apartment last year."  
JC smiled. "I would have if I had been home. And don't forget,   
I'm the one that goes out at night and keeps the dope guys from pushing   
their shit on our island."  
Frank shook his head as he climbed into the pilot's seat and   
fired up the engines. A few minutes later the pair were air born and   
headed home.  
  
  
  
  
JC had said goodbye to Frank at Sloppy Joe's earlier. He was   
headed home to his small apartment down on Mallory Street. JC was   
going home to tend to his bullet-ridden body and get some much needed   
sleep.   
  
The door to the apartment opened and revealed the large shadowed   
figure of JC. The young assassin gave his living arrangements a once   
over before he noticed that his answering machine was blinking. He   
stepped over to the machine and recognized that he had messages on both   
of his phone lines.  
Too tired to think JC punched the button for line one. "Jesus   
Christ here. I'm not home at the moment; I'm off saving more souls for   
my Father's holy war. Yeah RIGHT!!! It's JC. I'm not home, so leave   
a message."  
  
The machine beeped and a strong male voice, with a German accent   
spoke. "JC. Its Sven. I'll be in Key West next month. We need to   
talk. See you on the fifth."  
The machine beeped again, and a female with a slight Southern   
twang began speaking. "JC honey. It's Darla. We missed you at the   
club. Where ya been? Off on another of your business trips I bet.   
Well we EXPECT you at the club when you get home. Kisses."  
  
JC shook his head. "Fucking whores." The machine beeped again.  
  
Another man was speaking, this time with a thick Russian accent.   
"JC. I am Ivan, friend of Sven. He is dead. He no visit on day five.   
This close deal. I no owe you anymore. Goodbye, hope you dead."  
  
JC shrugged as he peeled off his sweat soaked black T-shirt.   
"Fine by me Ivan. I would have killed him anyway."  
  
"End of messages," a mechanical voice spoke. JC turned and   
pushed the second line button. "Wonder who want's some work done this   
week."  
JC's voice played through the small apartment. "Bible Studies.   
We're sorry no one was at the church when you called. Please leave   
your name, number, and what book you require help with and we will   
return your call in the order it was answered. Thank you." The   
machine beeped and began playing the messages. JC walked into the   
bedroom stripping off his clothes as he listened to the answering   
machine.  
  
"JC," a nervous sounding man spoke. "I need your services. It's   
Don Lagusi. Please call me, you have my number."  
  
JC scoffed. "Yeah right Don. You're a dead man on your own."   
He picked up his toothbrush and ran it under the water in the sink.  
  
"JC. This is Dayton Carloseeni. You're services are demanded.   
We will contact you again. You will comply."  
  
JC spit out the toothpaste and looked back at his phone. "No   
way! Carloseeni?! Shit, I'm a dead man. I've got no chance to back   
out or agree. SHIT!" JC slammed his fist into the wall next to the   
bathroom mirror.  
Three more messages played through. JC never paid attention to   
the last messages. He was more interested in what the SEELE operative   
had in mind for him.  
Aimlessly JC bathed and pulled on a pair of boxers. Sleep did   
not come easy that night as he wondered how much longer he would   
survive now that the most powerful agency in the world had contacted   
him. JC slept the sleep of the damned as he awaited his fate.  
  
  
  
  
The morning came slowly to the Conch Republic and its citizens.   
The island once considered to be a pirate's paradise was no longer the   
Caribbean hot spot it had been fifteen years prior. A great storm   
front slowly moved in over the island blotting out the famous Florida   
sunshine.  
The bars had long since emptied out as the owners cleaned them   
for the coming night's travelers, roughnecks, citizens, and preachers.   
When Second Impact wiped out Antarctica it also wiped out ninety   
percent of the Florida Keys and Central America. When Key West's   
famous Nine Mile Bridge was washed away in the rising tides the   
American government wrote the whole string of islands off as a No Man's   
Land.  
Embargoes were placed on the few remaining people on the island.   
The result was a catastrophic rise in pirates, drug runners, and   
scavengers, almost over night. Along with these roughens came the   
priests, monks, and convents. The world's churches believed that the   
natives of the once famous Key West needed God's help, what they didn't   
understand was that these people didn't want God they wanted what they   
already had, only more of it.  
Quickly the missionaries adapted to the laid back lifestyle.   
Their convents, churches, and missions quickly became bars, whore   
houses, and stores for guns, drugs, slaves, and whatever else needed to   
find a way into American waters. Including the worst possible   
inhabitants Key West had ever seen, the bounty hunters and assassins.  
  
People quickly came to understand that the tourist trade of old   
Key West was gone, and the new law in the Conch Republic was survival   
of the fittest. The Key West Naval Air Station was renovated and   
turned into Conch Republic Airlines, one of the few legitimate business   
left on the island. For a few years after Impact the airport brought   
tourists in from all over the world, but the pirates and bounty hunters   
quickly rushed the tourists off.  
Eventually the airline was turned into a shipping and export   
agency by one of the crime lords that had chosen to make the No Man's   
Land his home. Over the past ten years the airport had changed hands   
so much that no one knew who owned it anymore. But the island natives   
didn't care either, so long as it didn't affect their fishing,   
drinking, and life in general it wasn't important.  
  
  
JC's former island heritage was awakened in him as he woke up to   
a dark clouded sky. Grabbing his kimono JC wrapped himself and exited   
his apartment onto the beach to watch the sun rise. To the assassin's   
surprise the sun had already risen and was now hiding behind the storm   
front that was making its way to his home.  
Returning to his apartment JC picked up the morning newspaper and   
headed for his tiny kitchenette to make some semblance of a breakfast.   
JC removed a loaf of bread, two eggs, a steak, a bowl of rice, and   
multiple seasonings and began working up an island breakfast. All the   
while his young mind was working through all the possible reasons a   
SELEE operative would be contacting him.  
JC's cooking skills rivaled those of his ability to field strip   
an M-16. As flawlessly as needed to make sure the firing mechanism   
didn't jam on the gun, JC's omelet took shape as he reviewed his stock   
portfolio. "Monky$oft is down again, good. Linux is on the rise.   
Excellent. Dodge is making a slow comeback...I hope they'll have   
enough funds for the 2016 Viper.  
"Hmmm... oh good Penguin Publishing is on the rise. I should   
send them a manuscript sometime." JC flipped the eggs over before   
turning the page. "Perfect. Magnum Research is back on the rise,   
good, now might be time to call in for some replacement parts for my   
Eagles, gods know I could use them."  
  
JC reached over and sprinkled some garlic powder onto the steak   
before flipping it and garnishing the opposing side. Humming to   
himself JC flipped through the paper until he found what he was looking   
for. The comics page. "Hmm...I wonder what mischief Charlie Brown has   
gotten himself into."  
JC read the through the "Peanuts Classics" comic with a chuckle.   
"No Charlie don't trust her. She's never gonna let you kick that   
football!" Sure enough Lucy had pulled the football away before   
Charlie Brown got to the ball. "BAKA!" JC moved the steak onto a   
plate next to the omelet, toast, and warm rice.  
JC picked up his plate and moved to the small coffee table in the   
front room. As he read through the rest of the comics the young killer   
ate a healthy breakfast.  
  
  
  
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Clouds rolled across the   
crystal blue water of the Gulf of Mexico. Dark and ominous as the   
place they were headed, the clouds moved as if somehow life had been   
given to them.  
  
Frank Bama looked out from the hanger of Lone Palm Airport over   
the water. The tire swing attached to the lone palm tree swung madly   
in the strong wind.  
Billy Cruiser, an older man with graying hair stepped up next to   
the man that was a son to him. "Frank. You look like that charter you   
flew the other did a number on you and the Dancer."  
Frank looked back to his friend. "Yeah. You know JC. Always   
getting himself into trouble."  
Billy shook his head. "I still don't understand why you fly that   
guy around. You know what he dose for a living, you can't possibly   
agree with it."  
Frank nodded. "I don't. But he's pretty much the only one that   
charters a flight with us anymore. Since they turned the old airstrip   
over to commercial we've been dying."  
"But still. The guy's an assassin. That can't be good news. I   
mean guys like that attract trouble."  
Frank nodded again. "Billy if you haven't noticed, Key West is   
gone. There's no more fishing jaunts to the islands for fun, there's   
no joy riding just to buzz the fucking Condo Commandos. This town's   
gone back to the life it used to know. The pirates and assholes moved   
in and took over.  
"We have to change with the times. I don't like what JC does for   
a job, but he's got his reasons for doing it. And from what I've   
gathered he's actually a nice guy once you get past that whole   
Hourglass Assassin persona Rudy Fucking Breno set him up with."  
Billy ran his hand down the side of the Grumman Goose. "You do   
have to admit. The guy has a LOT of hourglasses. I mean have you ever   
seen a guy with that many hourglasses, hell I haven't seen a real   
hourglass since I was a kid."  
Frank was about to say something when the phone rang. "Will you   
get that? I want to patch these holes before that storm moves in."  
"Sure." Billy stepped back and turned to answer the phone. On   
the other end of that line was a call that would change lives.  
  
  
  
JC had finished his meal and washed the dishes. He was now   
standing outside his apartment watching the storm coming in. Off in   
the distance he could almost see what little that was left of Havana   
being extirpated by the large waves and harsh winds.  
Strange weather, frequent hurricanes, torrential rain storms had   
all become the norm in the Conch. Nothing was what it used to be.  
JC watched the waterspouts growing in the distance. "Hurricane's   
brewing." The assassin sipped his coffee and turned to his apartment   
where he could hear the phone ringing.  
  
JC picked up the phone and pushed the second line. "Bible   
studies. What book do you need help with?"  
"Romans," a strong male voice answered.  
"Hold please and I will transfer your call." JC set down the   
phone and his coffee and sighed. He picked up the phone and answered   
cheerily. "JC here. What do you need?"  
"JC. Good. Its Carloseeni."  
"Ah, Mr. Carloseeni. I've been waiting for your call. How may I   
be of service to you?"  
"We require your services. We're faxing you the picture of the   
target now."  
  
As Carloseeni said that a paper slowly made its way out of the   
fax machine. JC took a look at the paper as it transmitted.  
  
"I have the fax coming in now. What's this man worth to you?"  
"200 million."  
"Lira, Yen, or dollars?"  
"Dollars."  
JC ripped the paper from the fax machine and placed it next to   
the phone without looking at it. "What kind of problems am I looking   
at with this person?"  
"He's a computer expert, intense survival instinct, and fast   
talker. Do NOT allow yourself to be persuaded by this man, I can not   
stress this enough. He has already talked three assassins out of   
killing him, all of which are now dead in his place."  
JC scoffed. "Please. I'm a professional. I do my job and I do   
it well. No target has ever survived me."  
Carloseeni snickered. "That's why we hired you. Your past   
association with the target and NERV makes you the best man for the   
job. We assume you have accepted this assignment." It was not a   
question and did not hold any query, the man knew JC's answer.  
"Si, si. I accept. I'll expect 100 thousand transmitted to my   
offshore account within ten minutes of the end of this conversation.   
If the money is not there I will assume you have backed out and I will   
not be able to accept any more work from you. Is that agreeable?"  
Carloseeni paused for a moment. "Yes, that is. Now you   
understand that if you are captured, killed, or otherwise inaccessible   
we will not be help accountable for you, correct."  
JC nodded. "I know how SEELE works. This man will be dead by   
the end of the month. Do not worry."  
"We do not worry. You are privileged to still be alive knowing   
for whom you were hired. We were unprepared when we learned you knew   
who SEELE was."  
JC scoffed. "It wasn't hard to understand. Once the original   
Magi system had been hacked back in the GERHIN days it was not entirely   
complicated to determine who was pulling NERV's strings.  
"Guard that information well. If Ikari learns that you are aware   
of our existence...well I do not need to elaborate. You are a man of   
death, you understand."  
"The job has been accepted. Good bye." JC slammed the phone   
down onto the receiver. "Fucker. Threatening me like that. I swear   
if they didn't pay so well I'd have hunted them all down and killed   
them by now."  
  
JC lifted the paper off the table and made his way to his bedroom   
for a morning shower. As he studied the picture of a familiar looking   
man he wondered what he had done to cause SEELE such heartache that   
they hadn't used their own people to dispose of him.  
As JC removed his robe retrospection hit him. He reread the   
man's name three more times before he understood why it looked so   
familiar. Even though it was written in Kanji he could still make out   
the familiar symbols that showed the man's name to be Ryouji Kaji.  
JC dropped the printout and fell onto the bed. Blankly he stared   
at the smiling picture of his old friend from Germany. A single tear   
began to form at the edge of his eye as he was struck by a memory from   
a life almost forgotten.  
  
  
The scavengers had blown a hole in the wall and were now   
pushing their way inside the fortified building. Taking care not to   
kill anyone they pushed their way towards the ammunitions and food   
supply storage.  
With stealth on their side the scavengers were pushing   
their way through the building. As the security and engineering teams   
made their way to the multiple holes in the walls the main party   
silently made their way to the storage areas.  
  
  
JC pulled back the muzzle of his Desert Eagle pistol,   
chambering one of the few uranium depleted rounds he was carrying.   
These scavengers had taken from him the one thing that meant more to   
him than his own life, and he was out for revenge.  
With the round chambered JC checked that his Kevlar lined   
uniform was in stable condition. In the initial explosion some debris   
had struck him. His uniform was in reasonable condition. He would   
survive this day, if for no other reason than to extract his revenge.  
JC steadied himself against the wall and slowed his   
breathing. Inhaling and exhaling slowly JC timed each breath with each   
beat of his heart. His NERV training had succeeded in allowing him to   
become a proficient killer, something these scavengers would not live   
to regret.  
  
The group of scavengers made their way towards the   
ammunitions dump. As they neared the sounds of explosions and gunfire   
became less and less until it had all but disappeared from the   
background. The group's leader shrugged the silence off as his teams   
being caught or running, either way he didn't care, his team was   
nearing its objective.  
  
JC exhaled and jumped out from his corner, his Eagle at the   
ready. Before the coming group of people knew what had happened JC had   
fired the deadly explosive round off at them. With a sharp inhale JC   
retreated around the corner to await the coming explosion.  
The explosion came, blowing great amounts of smoke, blood,   
and human body parts in JC's direction. JC steadied himself and   
stepped into the smoke. Before him were the remains of a group of   
fifteen men and women wearing rags and tattered clothing. Among them   
the young NERV security officer noticed something familiar.  
JC stepped towards the glint he could barely make out in   
the smoke. As JC neared the glint became recognizable as a piece of   
metal, more specifically a silver ring. JC kneeled down and picked up   
the hand that the ring was attached to. Attached to that ring was a   
man of Latin American decent that seemed familiar to JC.  
As JC looked at the ring it struck him why it was familiar. It   
had been a gift to a friend he knew in Key West, before the pirates had   
arrived. JC looked at the man and finally understood why he looked   
familiar...it was his friend from Key West. "C-C-Carlos..." JC   
stammered, "NOOOOO!!!" JC fell over on his friend's chest crying.  
  
JC was found the next day among the dead. Immediately he   
too was presumed dead, until one of the officers woke him. For the   
next twenty-four hours JC continuously mumbled the same phrase to   
himself and anyone in earshot. "I have betrayed my friends. I live   
upto my name. I have betrayed my friends. I live upto my name."  
  
  
  
JC shook the memory away as he stood up. "Not again. Never   
again will I be forced to kill my friends. Kaji, I will save you.   
Somehow I will save you, even if it costs me my life."  
  
  
  
  
*Chibi Dude Slayer does official author's jig*  
  
TDS: Thanks man. *tosses CDS a Jolt*  
CDS: *squeals in delight*  
TDS: *looks to camera* Well folks, how do you like the first   
chapter of Justice Complete? Pretty good ne? I think so. Of course   
when I set out to write this it was going to be a one shot. But after   
that last scene I just couldn't help myself. I'm a master of suspense.  
Anyone in Meatspace that knows me can vouch for that.  
CDS: No shit. He's an ass for suspense, but he does it pretty   
damn well too.  
TDS: *looks confused* Was that a complement?!  
CDS: Yeah, so? Nani? Am I not allowed to complement you now   
and again?  
TDS: No, no...its jut that you don't do it often so it catches   
me off guard when you do it.  
CDS: :p  
TDS: *shakes head* So, can anyone tell what JC's name is? I'll   
give you a hint, its NOT Jesus Christ. The answering machine thing was   
to keep slightly with Eva's use of the Christian religion, plus its   
kind of a personal joke with me and my friends. They say I have a god   
complex, I just say I'm a writer. You decide.  
CDS: *walks by munching on a candy bar* God complex!  
TDS: Shut up! You're not in on this. *looks to camera*   
Anyway. This story came about in a few different ways. When I   
originally set out to write an Eva story it was going to be like some   
of my other early writing. I was going to self-insert as the Sixth   
Child. But that plan fell through when I began reading some of the   
self-insert fics and got disgusted by them.  
So I decided to take a new direction. I began looking for   
a way to continue my "PS: This is Asuka" songfic. That too fell   
through, because I was going to AGAIN write JC in as a Child. This   
time as a suicidal pilot with a care-free attitude. Fucked up you say,   
I agree and that's why that fic will never see the light of day.  
Now while I was sitting in Psychology the other day I was   
struck with inspiration. My instructor was reviewing Multiple   
Personalities and psychological effects of abuse and it got me   
thinking. Eva is full of fucked up people in need of psych help, and   
that is where my next fic will take place. I'll be sending Shinji to a   
shrink in a one shot I'll do after Justice Complete is finished.  
Now you're wondering where this babble is headed, well here   
you go. As I began doodling ideas for fics, and what to do with JC I   
came up with an idea. I began rummaging through my books and found   
Jimmy Buffett's "Where is Joe Merchant" and began reading it, again.   
Within that book came the inspiration for this story. Why not have an   
assassin show up. Someone has to eventually "kill" Kaji right? So why   
not have someone that knows him do the job.  
And that's where this story built up from. Now I must say   
Jimmy Buffett owns Frank Bama, Billy Cruiser, Rudy Breno, and the   
Hemisphere Dancer and Lone Palm airport. Ginax owns Kaji, Misato, NERV,   
GERHIN, SEELE, and Ritsuko. I can't remember who owns Charlie Brown   
and the Peanuts comics, but it sure ain't me. All I own is the   
Hourglass Assassin/JC, who has emerged as an ACC no longer is he an SI.  
  
  
CDS: Don't look at me, I have nothing to say this time around.  
TDS: *looks surprised* Uh...yeah. I'll take him to the vet   
later this week and get him checked out. I'm worried too. Now if   
anyone has any questions, comments, flames, or suggestions please feel   
free to e-mail me or stop by my website.  
  
redrum124@bigfoot.com  
http://the_dude_slayer.tripod.com/Home.html  
  
Ja ne. 


	2. Chapter 2

Neon Genesis Evangelion  
Justice Complete  
Part 2  
  
  
  
  
JC looked out over the ocean. The storm yesterday had come and   
gone, leaving most of Key West under water. Those crazy enough to   
venture out were doing so in a boat or some other form of flotation   
device. JC sighed as he picked up the phone and hit speed dial three.  
  
  
"Lone Palm Airport. How can I help you?"  
"Frank?"  
"No, it's Billy."  
"Oh. Hi Billy. Is Frank still patching the holes in his plane?"  
"No JC. Luckily he finished yesterday before the storm front   
moved it. He got the Dancer out soon enough that he was able to charter   
a few people around the island."  
JC chuckled. "The Hemisphere Taxi." He laughed some more. "So   
is he busy?"  
"No. I'll get him. Hold on a sec."  
"Alright." JC heard the phone being placed down. "Doo, be, doo,   
be, doo."  
  
"Bama here." Frank's voice sounded slightly irritated.  
"Frank, hi. It's JC. I need a ride."  
"I'm not floating your ass across the island for beer."  
JC shook his head. "No, nothing that trivial. I'm going out of   
town for a few days and figured you could use some quick cash."  
"This won't be like your last 'trip' where I ended up getting   
fifty some odd holes blasted in the sides of my plane, is it?"  
JC almost chuckled at the thought of the Colombian drug runners   
shooting at him. "No, nothing that bad. I need a charter to Tokyo."  
"Which one," Frank was sounding more and more annoyed.  
"3" It was a simple response.  
"JC! That's a war zone. Tokyo-3's a hell of a lot worse than   
Columbia. If I even considered taking you there it'd be exorbitant.  
JC smiled and wished Frank could see him. 'Maybe I should have   
gone to his place to do this,' he thought, 'nah.' "Hazard pay, fuel,   
damages new and old, twice your normal rate, and even a thousand up   
front. Does that sound fair to you?"  
Frank went silent for a moment. "Y-y-y..." he stammered,   
"you...you're serious?"  
"Of course. You know I'm good for it all too. I'll even have   
your grand in cash."  
Frank composed himself and began acting like a businessman rather   
than a shocked child. "You going to need a ride back?"  
"I'm not sure. I'll give you a call if I do."  
The phone went silent for a moment as Frank discussed the job   
over with Billy. It didn't take too long before the decision had been   
made. "Alright, but if see so much as a single bullet, yours or NERV's   
I'm doubling the hazard pay."  
"Fair enough. I will see you tomorrow at 14:30 hours. Is that   
an acceptable time?"  
"Better make it 15:00 hours."  
"Very well." JC placed the phone down and looked out over the   
ocean. In the distance he could see the storm front moving away from   
his little island home. With a sigh he resolved himself to go pack his   
bags and prepare for what might be the hardest hit he'd ever make.  
  
  
  
  
Another beautiful day had settled itself down upon the great   
fortress city of Tokyo-3. What was left of it. A large white seaplane   
glided over the city. The Hemisphere Dancer dipped down and began its   
decent into the fortress city.  
  
JC frowned as he looked out the window of the plane. This was   
the last place in the world the young assassin wished to be. He could   
see the city pass underneath him in the dying twilight. Never one to   
break a promise, when JC professed that he and his friends would meet   
again he assumed it would be on better terms.  
  
"Tokyo tower this is Grumman Goose N40SB requesting permission to   
enter a landing approach."  
"Sorry Goose. There's no landing space available. We're going   
to have to route you to Tokyo-2."  
Frank looked at JC. "Jace, you got a way through this or am I   
taking you to Tokyo-2?"  
JC turned away from the window. "Give me the radio."  
Frank handed over the radio. "Here ya go."  
JC took the radio. "Tower. We're a NERV supply plane carrying   
cargo for the new Evangelion."  
"Goose this is tower. We need identification that you are with   
NERV. Landing codes please."  
"NERV ID: JC78968-US09709."  
  
There was a moment of silence as the numbers were examined.   
"Goose. We apologize for the problem. We still are incapable of a   
ground landing. Can you wait?"  
  
JC looked to Frank. "Is the Dancer still able to land on water?"  
Frank looked confused. "Of course why?"  
JC pointed to the Ashinoko lake outside the city. "That enough   
water for you?"  
Frank looked to where JC was pointing. "Yeah, but I'll need to   
make a few passes before landing."  
"Fine by me." JC turned the radio back on. "Tower this is Goose   
N40SB. We're going to attempt a water landing."  
  
"Goose. This is Tokyo Tower. Are you capable of actually   
landing on the water?" The operator's voice sounded unsure and   
slightly confused.  
"Hai. We're a seaplane. We'll be landing on Lake Ashinoko. Is   
that acceptable? We have vehicles and will move the equipment   
ourselves."  
"Request granted. NERV and we have cleared you. Happy landing,   
enjoy your stay."  
"Arigoto Tokyo Tower. Goose signing off." JC turned off the   
radio and looked at Frank. "How's that for a trick up my sleeve?"  
  
Frank gave his passenger a confused look. "When we land you are   
giving me a GOOD explanation as to why you have a NERV access code."  
JC smirked. "Simple. I worked for NERV a while back."  
Frank glared at JC as he turned the plane and prepared to enter a   
landing approach.  
  
  
  
The landing took no time. JC and Frank were on the ground before   
either knew it. JC grabbed his large green seabag and was headed   
towards the door before the props had stopped moving.  
  
JC jumped out of the plane and landed on the soft, damp ground a   
few feet from the water. The young assassin took a few steps before he   
placed his bag down and began rummaging through it.  
Frank climbed down from the plane and walked upto his psychotic   
friend. "Jace. What're you upto?"  
JC looked up from his bag. "Looking for something." Quickly his   
returned to his search. After a moment he grinned and pulled a large   
wad of green paper from the bag. "Come 'ere Frank."  
Cautiously Frank stepped upto the younger man. "Yeah?"  
JC handed the large wad of paper over. "Here you go. Full   
payment including fuel, hazard, and damages from my last trip." He   
smiled and picked the bag up, throwing it over his shoulder. "Trust me   
buddy, you earned it all."  
Frank quickly leafed through the cash. "Remind me again why I   
fly you around."  
JC turned and began walking down the street. "I'm a good tipper.   
I tossed an extra grand in there."  
Frank eyed him suspiciously before he recounted the money. As he   
looked up to thank his client he saw JC was already gone from his   
sight, mixing in with the burnout buildings. Frank Bama just shook his   
head and climbed back into his plane.  
  
  
  
Tokyo-3 had been beaten within an inch of its life, repeatedly.   
Every time it came back stronger. Unfortunately so did those out to   
destroy the city and the world's humans.  
The city's residents were scared and many were leaving. This   
left plenty of open homes for squatters, bums, and "visitors."  
  
JC silently strode through the empty streets mentally mapping the   
city. He took note of certain buildings using them as landmarks. Most   
obvious were the armaments buildings, which he knew would not be gone   
if anything were to happen.  
  
  
Construction crews could be heard in all parts of the city. JC's   
decision was simple. Find an empty apartment close to the target and   
prepare for his job. He had no hard time finding an empty apartment   
which was only a few blocks from his assigned target.  
  
JC entered the building and made his way to an empty apartment on   
the fourth floor. He knew the layout well. Simple two bedroom, single   
bath, with a kitchen...something reminiscent of his own home. JC   
placed his bag down and took a step away from the door. Violently he   
reared back and kicked the door, it flew open causing a loud boom to   
crash through the empty building. Sluggishly JC picked up his bag and   
made his way to the nearest futon.  
Three days for jet lag and minimal sleep had finally taken its   
toll on the Latino assassin. JC was soundly asleep the moment he   
touched the futon and was dreaming the moment his head hit the pillow.  
  
  
  
  
Cicadas chirped as the sun rose over the armaments and few   
buildings of Tokyo-3. JC stirred back to life as the sun streamed into   
the small bedroom the assassin had fallen asleep in.  
The muscular assassin stood rubbing his eyes. With a loud yawn,   
JC stripped off his clothes and made his way to the bathroom. Filling   
the furo with near scalding water JC mused that for the first time in   
nearly six years he would enjoy an actual Japanese bath, with oils   
and differing water temperatures.  
Not since he and Kiyone had moved from Tokyo-3 to Nevada had the   
young assassin enjoyed a Japanese bath. With a resigned sigh he   
climbed into the scalding water and found himself filled with sweet   
memories.   
As far back as he could remember since he and Kiyone had became   
lovers they had always bathed together until the pair moved away from   
Tokyo-3. It had been a sort of privileged time between them, where they   
could chat while soaking in the warm water. JC had greatly missed   
those times when they moved to Nevada, but now, he would gladly give   
up using a furo ever again if it could bring his lover back.  
  
  
JC closed his eyes as he dumped cold water over himself, before   
taking the bathing accessories and going through the usual motions he   
used to perform day after day. He couldn't really find any peace of   
mind, however, as he used to. His mind was focused on the memories of   
a life long since gone and one long since changed.  
The memories of his old life as a NERV security officer and a   
caring human slowly began to wash over him. Specifically the memory of   
his and Kiyone's last day in Tokyo-3.  
  
JC rubbed his lover's shoulders. "Got the new orders   
today. They came across my terminal for the whole unit."  
Kiyone sighed as she leaned deeper into her partner's   
gentle hands. "Mmm. Do tell. Where do we go now?"  
JC brushed a lock of aquamarine hair off of Kiyone's   
shoulders. "One of the few places a beach bum like myself would ever   
think of going."  
Kiyone smiled and looked up at her Latin partner. "What,   
the desert?" She giggled happily.  
JC smirked as he picked up the bucket of cold water and   
poured it on her head. "Truthfully, yes. They're sending us to the   
Second American Branch in Nevada. You know the one sitting on top of   
the old Area 51 base."  
Kiyone shivered under the cold water. "Don't do THAT!"   
She turned to look at JC. "Why the Second Branch? I thought we'd be   
going to Germany to look after the Second Child."  
JC shrugged. "Dunno. The orders just showed up on my   
terminal. I'm going to have to tell the rest of the unit tomorrow."  
Kiyone smiled and kissed JC. "It's good dating the boss.   
I always know what's going on before everyone else."  
JC frowned. "Please tell me that's not the only reason   
you're dating me."  
Kiyone's smile widened. "I love it when you look hurt. It   
makes you look so human and less like the Commander." Kiyone shivered   
again. "He frightens me."  
"Same here. I'm just glad I don't report to him."  
  
  
JC poured the freezing water over his muscularly scarred body.   
"I have to stop living in the past. Kiyone's gone, but why can't I let   
her go?"  
Almost as if someone were with him JC felt the answer whispered   
to him. "Because I still love her," he told himself.  
  
  
JC didn't spend anymore time in the bath. Quickly he toweled off   
and dressed in a black T-shirt, black jeans, and wrapped the towel   
around his neck. As JC looked around the apartment it amazed him how   
many personal possessions were left in this apartment. He assumed that   
the person or persons that lived here were either dead of had left in a   
hurry.  
JC picked up his seabag and removed a large army blanket. JC   
rolled the blanket out revealing numerous handguns, disassembled   
rifles, ammunition for each weapon and explosives. Included in the   
handguns were a classic Colt .45 and a .38 Special Smith and Wesson   
revolvers.  
Meticulously to the point of being anal-retentive JC studied each   
weapon. The coming preparations would become his sole purpose until he   
finished, or was distracted. He double and triple checked each handgun   
for any possible chance of jam. Picking up the Colt he spun the   
chamber making sure it would fire when needed.  
JC stood and walked over to his armored trenchcoat. Spinning the   
Colt on his finger, in the same way the cowboys of old did, he placed   
the gun in a holster attached to the inner left side of the coat. JC   
repeated this action with the Smith and Wesson.  
  
The assassin returned to the table where he began piecing a solid   
black M-16 back into one piece. Within a minute the powerful rifle was   
no longer pieces but a high power killing device. JC placed the rifle   
down and picked up a magazine, which he began filling with explosive   
.50 caliber rounds. With surgical care JC filled the magazines in a   
near vain attempt to not blow himself and most of this building into   
microscopic pieces, which would also inform NERV of his presence.  
  
  
The preparation took the better part of three hours to come close   
to being half finished. JC's watch beeped signaling him to take a   
break for nourishment. The young man looked at the simple wristwatch   
and acknowledged the time. "Two o' clock?! No wonder I'm starving."   
JC picked up his hip holster and strapped it on, loading the dual .50   
caliber Desert Eagles into it.  
Reluctantly he hefted his heavy trenchcoat and wrapped his body   
inside it before he exited the small apartment. JC closed the door as   
best possible and strapped a brick of C-4 to it before turning and   
exiting the building in an attempt to find at least a noodle stand   
that might have survived and be open.  
  
  
After an hour's search on the city's outskirts JC found himself   
in a rather expensive and stylish restaurant that seemed to refuse to   
close in the aftermath of so much destruction. Though expensive the   
young assassin felt he deserved the chance to enjoy a good Japanese   
meal, seeing as he didn't know when he might return to his second   
favorite country.  
Two sushi boats, an order of Tako Balls, and a plate of tempura   
and curry rice served as the needed meal and a bottle of sake provided   
the necessary distraction from reality. JC ordered another bottle of   
sake as the waiter came to deliver his check.  
  
  
Laughing and enjoying themselves Kaji and Misato entered the   
restaurant. They were quickly ushered to a table on the opposing side   
of the building from JC.  
  
JC sipped the warm sake and slowly he began to feel the tension   
of this recent assignment flow from him. Until the familiar giggling   
of a purple haired Japanese woman caught his overly heightened hearing.   
He spit out the warm drink as he caught sight of Misato and Kaji.   
"Check please," he called out in Spanish tinted English.  
The waiter delivered the requested bill, which JC paid   
immediately. Without waiting to be noticed JC pulled his coat closed   
and rushed off down the street. Within seconds he was gone and hidden   
within the maze of destruction.  
  
"Shit, shit, shit! That was TOO close. They almost saw me. Its   
too early for me to be seen. I haven't even given the ultimatum yet."   
JC spent the next hour making his way through the remnants of the once   
great city, to ensure he was not being followed. When he felt safe JC   
made his way back to the apartment he was "borrowing."  
  
JC spent the rest of the daylight hours ensuring his equipment   
would be in perfect working order for when he left tomorrow to complete   
his given task. When he was finally pleased with the way his armaments   
would perform JC reached into his seabag and removed a simple cardboard   
box. Reaching into the box the young man removed an object wrapped in   
plastic bubble wrap.  
From the safety of the bubble wrap JC removed a hefty hourglass.   
The sand on the bottom of the time keeping object was a white sand of   
familiar origins. "Key West sand just like I ordered. Perfect." He   
re-wrapped the hourglass and returned it to its protective box.  
The young man picked up a piece of stationary and a pen. Quickly   
he jotted down a note in bad Kanji, a skill that had gone to waste over   
the years. JC added the note to the box and made his way to find to   
the home of his target.  
  
  
  
  
A nearly exhausted Kaji entered his apartment, and immediately   
knew something was wrong. Reaching under his shirt he removed his   
pistol. Kaji flipped the room light on in hopes of confusing anyone in   
there, silently he scanned the room looking for what was wrong.  
Light glinted off an object next to his kitchenette. Kaji   
holstered his weapon and walked over to the object. Sitting there   
before him was an hourglass that was slightly over a quarter empty.   
Attached to the time device was a note written in badly scripted Kanji.  
Kaji observed the note in a futile attempt to read the message.   
After a moment of intense scrutiny Kaji translated the message.  
  
"This glass is 24 hours full. When it has emptied I shall   
return. Your hours are numbered, make them count."  
  
Kaji dropped the note and gazed at the hourglass. "Damn.   
Seventeen hours left." Kaji fell into a chair. "Well I was beginning   
to wonder how long I had left."  
Kaji took a lasting looked around his small apartment. His gaze   
fell upon a small framed Polaroid of himself and Misato from their   
college days. Kaji picked up the photo and studied the image of the   
two young lovers.  
  
  
Misato and Kaji held each other close as they walked   
through a near empty park. The sun was setting just past the tree   
line, giving the landscape a brilliant flame orange tint that seemed to   
glow and reflect off every object it encountered. Silently they walked   
through the park ignoring everyone until they found an empty bench.  
A young boy with a Polaroid camera ran into their path and   
yelled out "Smile!" The pair of paramours allowed fake smiles to cross   
their young features as the boy snapped the picture. Kaji paid the boy   
for the photo, who then promptly ran off.  
Kaji placed the photo in his shirt pocket before taking   
Misato's hand and led her to the bench. He seated her and gazed   
lovingly at her. "Misato-chan. I have something I need to talk with   
you about."  
Misato nodded. "So do I." Misato returned Kaji's gaze.   
Not wanting to waste time Misato jumped right in and blurted out what   
she needed to say. "I'm leaving. I'm going back to live with   
Ritsuko."  
Kaji stared blankly at the purple haired love of his life.   
"What? Why?"  
Misato looked away from her boyfriend. "Ritsuko's right.   
I have almost no chance of graduating at this point. I have to change   
things. This isn't your fault Kaji-kun. I'm sorry."  
Kaji removed the photo from his pocket and studied it   
immensely before setting it aside. When he looked to Misato she was   
gone, and Kaji could barely make her out in the distance as she walked   
away from him. Kaji sat there for hours watching the horizon upon   
which Misato had walked out of his life.  
  
  
Kaji shook the memory away as he set the frame down on the table.   
Muted Kaji removed a small felt lined box from a drawer. Inside the   
box was a simple gold ring with a diamond in the center surrounded by   
amethyst, blue opal, rubies, and sapphires. Kaji mused over the ring   
as he picked up the phone.  
  
  
  
Misato entered her darkened office to a strange sight. The chair   
behind her desk was facing the far wall, away from the door. Misato   
reached under her bomber jacket and removed her pistol.  
The chair spun around to reveal a shadowy figure seated behind   
the desk, with a pistol drawn and aimed at the Major. With the flip of   
a switch a red laser beam appeared between Misato's eyes. "Konniti wa,   
Kit Kat-chan."  
Misato lowered her gun and looked quizzically at the figure   
behind the desk. "How do you know that name? The only person to ever   
call me that is dead. I personally attended his funeral."  
The laser disappeared back into the darkness. "Did you see the   
body of the so called deceased?"  
Misato looked confused. "What?"  
"Did you see the body of the man known as JC?"  
"Of course not. It was a closed casket ceremony."  
The figure smirked in the minimal light. "Then how do you know   
he's dead?"  
"What do you mean? Who are you?"  
The figure flipped the switch next to his head causing the   
overhead lights to flash on brilliantly. "I am he who has betrayed   
himself and his allies."  
Misato covered her eyes and squinted. 'I don't remember these   
lights being this bright,' she thought. "What are you babbling about?"  
The obsidian clad figure smiled warmly and leaned forward. "Kit   
Kat-chan. I am wounded that you don't even recognize me. I   
immediately recognized you."  
Misato scanned the man with arrant interest. Her eyes scanned   
every visible portion of his body. From his well formed tan face, to   
his broad, ebony-clad shoulders, to the dark trenchcoat he wore. She   
could just barely make out the telltale signs of a revolver under his   
left arm. Suddenly Misato dropped her gun and her jaw.  
Misato's hands came up to cover her mouth, more in shock than   
modesty. "Jay-JC?" Quickly Misato rushed to her Latin friend and   
wrapped her arms around him.  
JC awkwardly returned Misato's hug, over the years he'd forgotten   
how emotional his Asian friend could be. After a few seconds his fears   
melted away and began returning the hug with as much ferocity as Misato   
was giving. "Been a while, hasn't it Misato." JC strained against his   
human nature not to let his emotions become evident.  
Tears streamed down the purple haired Major's face and began   
soaking into JC's armored coat. Years of pent-up emotions toward this   
man, that had once been as close to her as Ritsuko and Kaji, surged   
forth in a current of warm tears that lasted for well over ten minutes.  
As the tears subsided Misato looked up at her friend, her beautiful   
eyes usually full of life were now red and puffy from the pain.  
'Pain. Is that all I have to offer people? Pain and death?'   
This thought was the only one that JC could concentrate on as he looked   
at his old friend. JC's aged and scared face looked up at Misato's   
youthful and almost carefree features as he reached out and wiped a   
single remaining tear from her cheek. "Your tears are reminiscent of a   
spring rain that could fill valleys, but beauty such as yours should   
never be marred by tears."  
  
As he spoke the words JC could see the change in Misato's   
features. "Why do you cry Misato?" If a verbal answer was expected   
then to say the bitch slap that knocked the assassin from his chair was   
the last thought on his mind. JC lay prostrate on the floor looking up   
at the woman whom he once called friend and had hoped for more from.   
Gently he held a hand over his cheek where he'd been slapped. He could   
almost swear the scar that ran down the side of his face was bleeding.  
Misato stood over the older man with her hands on her hips. "You   
BASTARD! Seven years! No one here has heard from you in seven years.   
Ritsuko and I attended your funeral when the Second Branch said you   
were dead." Misato fumed as she stood over her friend. "Why did you   
do that to us?"  
JC looked away from his one time friend. "Because I've changed.   
I'm not the man I was back in college. I've done things no human   
should ever have to do."  
Misato glared at the weakened man on the ground before her.   
"Like what? Huh? Tell me, what could be so bad that you would kill   
yourself off from everyone?"  
JC groggily stood and leaned against the desk for support. "You   
really want to know?" Misato nodded. "Fine. Where do I start? With   
the day Kiyone died and I gave up my humanity, or the day I sold my   
soul to Satan and began killing people? Or maybe you'd be more   
interested in how in all the years you've known me you don't even know   
my real name, and how in," JC looked at his watch, "six hours I'm going   
to live upto it."  
Misato fell into her chair. "Kiyone's dead? I-I'm sorry."   
Misato swallowed the lump forming in her throat and looked at the man   
who seemed to blend into the shadows. "When, how, why didn't you tell   
us?"  
JC sat on the corner of the desk. "Would it have made a   
difference? She died in action, was awarded the US Purple Heart, and   
was given a rank commendation, but none of that mattered because she   
was dead." JC placed his sunglasses over his eyes attempting to his   
the slow forming tears.  
Misato reached out and took her friend's hand. "I-I'm sorry. I   
didn't know. I knew how much she meant to you." Misato's gaze moved   
up into her friend's protected gaze, but she knew he was looking right   
into her eyes. "You really loved her."  
JC nodded almost mechanically, it seemed as if his vocal   
capabilities had just flipped off much like a psychological barrier to   
prevent him from feeling the full aspect of the pain.  
Misato stood and embraced her friend once more, futilely hoping   
that he would shed a tear with her. She knew that the man in her arms   
was no longer the man she had met almost a decade ago. This man was   
someone new he was, "The Hourglass Assassin!" Slowly Misato backed   
away from the man at her desk and looked at JC.  
JC flinched at the use of his working name. Idly JC stood and   
began moving towards the door. "Yes Misato. I am the Hourglass   
Assassin." JC placed his hand on the door handle and turned to his   
friend. "Misato, please. Go home, get out of here and go home.   
There's something important waiting for you there."   
JC turned back to the door and began to head into the hallway   
when Misato's voice captured his attention. "Who are you here to kill?   
JC who is your target?"  
JC stepped into the hallway. The door was nearly closed behind   
him when he finally answered. The reply was simplistic and to the   
point. "Kaji-san." The door closed and the man known as the Hourglass   
Assassin was gone once more from the life of Major Katsuragi Misato.  
  
  
  
  
  
*Chibi Dude Slayer does official Author's Jig*  
  
TDS: Man, oh man, oh man...I hate myself. I swore I'd have this whole   
thing wrapped up in 2 parts. But like everything else I do, NO!   
It wasn't. Damn I hate myself. I REALLY wanted this done in two   
chapters with an epilogue taking place during EoE. Okay some of   
you may have noticed that this has deviated SLIGHTLY from the Eva   
timeline, well don't sue me please. I have only seen the first   
12 episodes, so I think I'm doing pretty damn good for having to   
rely upon fanfics and second hand information.  
  
CDS: At least he uses useful sources. Rakna, Strike Fiss, and Axel.   
You know the guys that are the GODS of Eva fanfiction.  
  
TDS: *places 2x4 down* Uh, did you just say something nice again?  
CDS:*looks to TDS* Yeah, so?  
TDS: *tosses 2x4 off camera and smiles* No reason, still not   
expecting it. *looks to camera* So did anyone catch the mention  
to Rakna's awards? ^_^ I know shameless for me to pitch that   
in, in a vain attempt that someone out there will vote for me at   
next year's awards.  
So people, how'd you like this story? Okay, I know what you're   
thinking. Kiyone = Tenchi Muyo!   
Well yes and no, same name TOTALLY different character. I like   
the name Kiyone and was wanting to use it for something, and this   
seemed like a good story to use it in.  
  
CDS: I still say you're recycling animè characters.  
TDS:Fuck you. *looks to camera* Again I don't own anything in here   
except JC.   
Also I'd like to send out props to Lord Deathscythe who pre-read   
the first chapter for me. Check his page out there's a link on   
my page leading to the Dark Lords and Ladies of Fanfiction, a   
great place for loads of Eva fics.  
  
CDS: You have no life  
TDS: You're no better. You're just like me, only three feet tall.  
CDS: Yeah but at least I get to hang out with animè chibis. All you   
have are your stories.  
TDS: *grins evilly* Don't forget who carries the magical keyboard of   
your doom.  
CDS: Ohhh, scary.  
TDS: See you later people. I'm going to have fun picking on Chibi   
Dude Slayer for a while. Maybe teach him some respect. Hmmm...I   
wonder what he'd look like with a tail.  
CDS: *looks frightened and runs off*  
  
Ja ne 


	3. Chapter 3

Neon Genesis Evangelion  
Justice Complete  
Part 3  
  
  
  
Misato entered her apartment silently. She'd spent a few more   
hours at NERV after JC had left. She was afraid of what her friend had   
left her. The knowledge that a man she had once considered a dear and   
close friend had become a highly famous assassin was grating on her   
already weary nerves.  
Misato had to wonder if the man she'd known as JC was truly gone.   
Yes from the short time she'd spent with him she could tell that a few   
things had changed, including the deep laceration that ran down the   
side of his left cheek which seemed to run straight into his once   
caring heart. Misato sighed as she entered the apartment.  
"Tadaima."  
  
The way she had spoke...Misato usually tried to be cheerful, even   
if her day at work had sucked. But today she seemed almost on the   
verge of collapse. It was obvious to anyone that might have been in   
the room with her that she'd been working hard. But the worst part of   
her seemed to be her eyes, they seemed almost lifeless.  
And rightly so. For the last four hours she had mulled over what   
JC had told her. How he'd changed so much, what he could have left   
her, why he was here, and other such thoughts.  
The Major walked toward the fridge, but as her hand reached to open   
it, she stopped. No matter what happened, she always gulped down a   
beer after work. As if noticing something was wrong, she looked toward   
the phone and noticed the light that indicated a message.   
Shinji sat in his room listening to his S-DAT player. The eerie   
classical music played out and filled the room with its calming and   
ominous sounds. In the back of his mind he could hear Misato enter the   
apartment, but paid it no mind. Until his music clicked off and he   
heard Kaji's voice emanate through the silent apartment.  
Using his Ninja-like skill for silence Shinji stepped from his   
room into the hallway. As he neared the front room the recorded voice   
of Ryouji Kaji filled his hearing.  
Had anyone been in the room with her they would have noticed that   
for the first time since she came in, some expression showed on her   
face. Almost clumsily, and pushed the button on the machine. Misato   
leaned back against the table and listened to the message.  
  
'Katsuragi, it's me. I'm sure you are listening to this message   
after I have troubled you so much. Gomen. Please tell Rit-chan "I'm   
sorry." And there's one more thing that will trouble you. I've been   
taking care of some flowers. I'd appreciate if you'd water them for   
me. Shinji-kun knows where they are. Katsuragi, the truth is with   
you. Don't hesitate. Go ahead! If I can see you again, I will say   
the word that I could not say eight years ago. Ciao.'  
  
Misato didn't really react to the words at first. She understood   
what the meaning behind them was, but she didn't seem to even want to   
consider that possibility. But the tears that fell on the wooden   
table, as well as the sobs that escaped her lips before her knees gave   
in and she collapsed on the table said that it was impossible for her   
to ignore that possibility.  
She was crying in a way most would never have thought possible   
from her, the carefree woman that was the object of many men's   
affection. Something had happened; it was obvious that something had   
happened, and most presumably it had happened to Kaji.  
"Misato-san..." Shinji had fully entered the room as he heard   
the end of the message. Awkwardly, he touched the Major's shoulder.   
"Misato-san..."  
"Shinji! Why? WHY?"  
Her reaction took him by surprise. She grabbed Shinji's shirt,   
pulling him down on the floor, before collapsing herself. Her next   
reaction had been to shrink into a fetal position much like a child   
would have.  
Shinji had seen many things in his young life. He'd been in the   
heat of battle, he'd seen people get hurt, and he'd even seen people   
die. But the sight that always hurts the most is seeing a woman cry   
this way.  
He hated that. And each time he'd hate himself because he felt   
so helpless. As Shinji looked at this grown woman on the floor, crying   
before him, he felt at a lose for he didn't know what to do. So he did   
the only thing he could, he simply knelt down and took her in his arms,   
hoping it would at least provide some comfort.  
"It's okay Misato-san... it's okay..."  
It may have seemed a stupid thing to say, and if Asuka had seen   
she probably would have blown into an outrageous monologue of how   
Misato's tears were unwarranted. But those were the only words that   
came to Shinji's young mind. But those words must have brought some   
comfort, as Misato began to calm down a bit.  
  
If only they had not been so wrapped up in their own world the   
pair of NERV personnel would have heard the second message on the   
answering machine.  
  
'Kit Kat. You know who this is. Shinji, Asuka, whichever of you   
is there, please look after Misato. I know I've lied to you Misato, I   
also know I've hurt you. But I also want you to know that you've been   
like the drunken, sex crazed little sister I never had. Kaji-san, you,   
and Rit-chan were the saishi I wish I had growing up. I'm glad I was   
there for you when you needed me, and I wish I had come to you when I'd   
needed you.  
'When I told you I had changed it wasn't just a ploy to be left   
alone. I am no longer JC, the NERV security Lieutenant. I have become   
JC, the Hourglass Assassin. I am aware the you know so little of me   
and my life before Germany, but I want you to know that things will   
soon change for me.  
'In approximately five hours I will do the one thing that in my   
line of work is inexcusable. I will betray my employer. No I will not   
tell you who employed me, nor who I am to terminate. All that I will   
tell you, is that in the top drawer of your desk there is a disc with   
all the information you'll need on it.  
'My past, my name, my life. It is all there waiting for you. I   
wish you well with your life. Shinji, if you're listening, please   
treat Misato right. She's a good woman and will either make a great   
mother or a great lover for you someday.' A small laugh could be heard   
on the recording. 'Asuka, please. Go easy on everyone. You may not   
be the best, but you're still doing the one thing that no one else can   
do. You're saving the world. And take a break on Shinji, he's a nice   
guy. You could learn a lot from him.  
'Please anyone listening to this take care of yourselves. I must   
leave you now. Misato, do not attempt to find me. JC no longer   
exists. Just live your life to its fullest, and if our paths cross   
once more then I will see you then. If not, remember. I love you, and   
I apologize for what I must do. Sayonara.'  
  
  
  
JC laid his trenchcoat out on the table before him. Along its   
innards were multiple pockets, all filled with magazines which were all   
filled with bullets. Twelve magazines, thirty-two shots each, two   
grenades, and a bottle of Molotov cocktail were the only contents in   
the large black trenchcoat.  
JC picked up his Colt revolver and spun it twice. He held it   
upto his eye and took aim. The sight was pulled slightly to the left,   
as JC's neck had a tendency to tilt when he fired. Spinning the   
revolver twice JC placed the gun in his hi-rise holster. In the hi-  
rise under his left arm was the Smith and Wesson revolver.  
JC sighed as he picked up his coat and prepared to leave the   
apartment. As he walked by the bathroom, in the corner of his eye, JC   
caught sight of himself in the mirror. Turning, JC took a look at the   
figure in the mirror.  
Standing there in black denim jeans, a black button shirt, and   
black storm trooper boots stood a man the JC did not recognize. The   
revolvers affixed in the hi-rises, the Dessert Eagles in his mid-rise   
waist holsters, and the half noticeable MP-6 on the small of his back   
revealed someone that had once been a man, but was now a tool in   
someone else's games.  
JC glared at the figure before him and yelled. Removing his   
revolvers JC blasted twelve holes in the mirror before him. All was   
quiet save for the clicking of the guns' hammers as the assassin looked   
at the shattered image of himself. With a loud thud the two old   
fashioned revolvers fell from the hands of their owner and landed on   
the floor.  
JC stepped upto the mirror and placed a gloved hand on the   
shattered glass. He could feel the shards of glass and silver coating   
as it attempted to cut into his Kevlar lined hand. For the first time   
in three years JC could feel tears as they built up at the edges of his   
eyes, and for the first time he didn't attempt to stop them.  
JC ran a single gloved finger down the pale scar that ran down   
his cheek, as a tear followed his finger, and cried. That scar was   
truly the only thing he had left, besides his memories, of Kiyone. It   
had been the day the Second Branch was attacked that he'd received it.  
The explosion was deafening. No one had expected it. No   
one was ready for the massive group of people that stormed in through   
the holes in the wall. Least of all Kiyone and JC, who had been on   
patrol in the area when the explosives had gone off.  
JC had been bowled over from the explosion. He had luckily   
used his uniform jacket to cover himself, knowing that Kiyone would   
likely do the same. That was until he felt the blood begin to seep   
down his face into his mouth.  
JC ran a cautious finger down the laceration feeling the   
cut and the blood. Without care for his own well being JC stood and   
began searching for Kiyone. All the while the blood drained from his   
body from that ornate scar.  
JC looked at himself once more before he looked at the gloves   
that covered his hands. How long had he worn gloves, since that day,   
no before. JC could not really remember a time before he'd worn   
gloves. Ever since he was young and was running guns and drugs in Key   
West as a child, to his NERV security job, and even now he'd worn   
gloves...but he never knew why.  
The obvious reason was fingerprints, or lack there of. But that   
wasn't why. JC wore the gloves to hide the blood that stained his   
hands. Much like Lady Macbeth, JC knew that no matter how often he   
cleaned his hands he would never be clean of his past sins, that did   
not mean he was unable to atone for them.  
With a lecherous smile JC retrieved his trenchcoat and made his   
way NERV HQ. He had one more person to visit before he could leave   
Tokyo 3. He knew she would not like his showing up like he would, but   
he also knew that he had little choice in the matter. Atonement may   
take decades, but it always started with a single act.  
  
  
Ritsuko sat in her office smoking a cigarette and reading a   
report from the Magi. With a resounding sigh she sat back in her chair   
and wondered if Gendo would need her "services" tonight. It wasn't   
likely, but it could happen.  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I always told you those things would kill you   
one day." The voice echoed from no where.  
Ritsuko spun her chair around to look at the door to her office.   
"Who's there? Show yourself." As quietly as she could the good doctor   
reached into her desk and began to draw her service issue pistol.  
JC silently stepped into the light. "G'day Rit-chan."  
Ritsuko removed her hand from the gun and squinted at the man   
standing in her office. "How did you get in here?"  
JC reached over and picked up the pack of cigarettes from the   
desk. He pulled one out and lit it. Slowly he took a long drag off   
the carcinogenic object before releasing the smoke through his nose.   
"You know, when NERV writes someone off as dead they seem to forget one   
little thing." He took another drag off the cigarette. "Security   
codes. More specifically entrance codes for the buildings."  
"Well I see. So what do you want here JC? It's been a long time   
since anyone heard from you." Ritsuko took a quick drag from her own   
cigarette in an attempt to hide her fear and apprehension towards this   
man she'd once considered a friend. "We all wrote you off as dead   
after the funeral NERV gave you."  
JC finished his smoke and snubbed it out in the ashtray on her   
desk, which he noticed, was almost overflowing. "Ritsu, I need a   
favor. Actually I'm calling in a favor."  
Ritsuko looked away from the assassin. "Damn, I was hoping you'd   
forget about that."  
"No chance Ritzy. Look all I need is a single favor, then I'm   
gone. I'm back to my life, you all are back to yours, and everyone   
forgets I was ever here. Sound fair?"  
Ritsuko looked at the ebony clad man. "I think so. Depends on   
what the favor is."  
JC sighed. "I need you to kill Kaji."  
Ritsuko jumped from her chair. "WHAT?! NO WAY!"  
JC shushed her. "Not literally. Dammit woman, calm down." As   
Ritsuko sat down again JC sighed. "Look, I need you to hack the Magi   
and tell them and SEELE that Kaji's dead. Single bullet wound to the   
head, and third degree burns were the causes."  
Ritsuko looked dubiously at her old friend and classmate. "Why   
does he need to be written off?"  
JC sat down across from the woman. "SEELE contacted me the other   
day. They hired me to come to Tokyo to take care of a little thorn in   
their side." JC looked up at his old friend. "Is this room secure?"  
Ritsuko looked confused. "What?"  
"I said, is this room secure? As in does Ikari have it bugged?"  
"I don't think so. Why would he bug my office?"  
JC stared the blonde woman down before sighing. "I don't know.   
Call me paranoid, but ever since I came back here I feel like I'm being   
followed. And no matter where I am in this damn place I always feel   
like I'm being watched. It doesn't help that no matter where you go   
there's at least four cameras on you at all times."  
JC reached out and retrieved another cigarette, which he lit. In   
a single deep breath he sucked half the cigarette away, and he released   
it through clenched teeth. "Its simple Rit-chan. Just hack the   
system, say Kaji's dead, and watch the news tonight. It's not that   
hard. By the end of the night he will be dead anyway."  
Ritsuko looked at the man before her. His tan skin stretched   
tight across his muscular frame. His short black hair was cut in a   
very stylish manner, as it always had been. Even the streaks of   
natural gray melded with his features. The obsidian clothing he wore   
suited his mood, dark and ominous.  
Looking at the Magi terminal before her Ritsuko knew her answer.   
"I'll do it." She closed her eyes as she said it. "For you, I'll do   
it. But tell me something, did they pay you in silver?"  
JC caught the joke that he and Ritsuko had shared for years. She   
was the only one still living that knew his real name, and he   
privileged her the few jokes she made about his name. "No, not in   
silver. But by the end of the night I may be hanging myself for an oak   
tree if I do betray Kaji."  
Ritsuko reached out and took JC's hand. "Just remember you're   
not your namesake, and Kaji is not the Messiah. As much as he would   
like to believe he's a gift from God, he's not."  
JC nodded. "I know. Domo arigoto, Ritsuko. This means a lot to   
me Okasan." JC snubbed the cigarette and stood up. "Oh one more   
thing. If I don't see you again, just remember you mean a lot to me.   
And I'd hate to see our little family torn apart. Please visit Misato,   
befriend her once more, she's gonna need it."  
With those parting words JC was gone. Out the office, down the   
hall, and off to spit in the face of destiny.  
  
  
  
  
Kaji sat in his apartment watching the grains of sand fall in the   
hourglass. "Like the sands of an hourglass, these are the days of our   
lives." Kaji counted off the seconds. "3...2...1..." the last grain   
of sand fell through the hole in the glass. Kaji leaned back in his   
chair and waited.  
JC removed his Dessert Eagles and sighed. "Here goes, do I live   
upto my name or do I leave well enough alone and hope Rit-chan comes   
through for me?" JC cocked the guns and sighed. "Betrayal it is then.   
Seems some things never do change."  
Kaji looked at the door as it slid open. Standing there he could   
make out the shape of a large man in a trenchcoat. He could just   
barely see the pistols aimed as his cranium. In a calm voice Kaji said   
the two words that a man who lives by time never wishes to hear.  
"You're late."  
JC pulled the hammer back on his left Eagle. Silence permeated   
everything in the room, there was no sound, not even that of human   
breathing. JC stared at Kaji until he noticed the glint of metal   
behind his old friend. In a motion quicker than Mercury delivering a   
message from Jupiter, JC pulled the trigger.  
Kaji instinctively placed a hand to his chest as he waited for   
the pain to arise in his body. After a moment he felt nothing.   
Opening his eyes Kaji looked down at his chest to find he was still   
alive and whole.  
JC smirked. "Tokyo 3's a bitch to get through without any   
landmarks left." Silently he holstered his left weapon and stepped   
into the room. Without a word he passed by his old friend and walked   
towards the shadows.  
JC kneeled down and flipped a body over. Lying there was a man   
dressed in a black infiltration suit. JC grabbed the man's mask and   
ripped it off his face. Staring back at him were the glazed over eyes   
of a SELEE operative. JC placed his pistol to the man's head and fired   
two .50 caliber bullets into the man's head.  
Kaji placed his own pistol against his would be killer's head.   
"Bad move buddy. You should have killed me when you had the chance."  
JC stood up and brushed his coat off. "Well Kaji-san, I   
apologize for saving your life. I guess friendship just doesn't mean   
what it used to." JC clapped his hands together knocking the dirt,   
blood, and lint off his gloves.  
Kaji stared at the man before him. "What are you talking about?   
Were do you get off assuming that you and I are friends?"  
"I get off at the local whore houses back home, but that's not   
important." JC turned to look at his target. "I assume that you would   
forget me after all these years. Nine years is a long time." JC   
pulled his sunglasses off and slid them into his pocket. "College,   
beer, and Misato kinda took up all your thinking back then."  
Kaji looked the man over head to foot. Slowly things began   
clicking within the spy. Images of the man before him, flashes of   
himself and this man talking and drinking, pictures of himself, this   
man, Ritsuko and Misato, and it finally made sense to him. "JC?"  
JC smiled. "Hot damn. Give the man a prize."  
Kaji looked confused. "What are you doing here? What's with the   
whole hourglass thing? What am I not getting?"  
"Well for one, you're NOT getting a bullet in the head or a blade   
in the back. What you are getting is a free ride out of Tokyo 3 and an   
escape from life until things calm down. SEELE was trying to kill you,   
they hired me, and now I'm turning on them.  
"Look. The simple part of this is that I'm getting you out of   
here. I contacted some old friends of yours back in the States.   
They've got a place setup for you, but knowing you you're not going to   
be there for a week before you fall into whatever contingency plan   
you've got fixed up."  
Kaji smiled. "You know me too well."  
JC smirked, "Damn right I do. Now look, I need you to dress   
this guy in one of your outfits while I call my pilot to get us out of   
here. He's gonna take a few hours to get here but I have a place for   
us to hide until he arrives."  
Kaji nodded as he walked from the room to retrieve a set of   
clothes to place on the corpse.  
  
  
Frank Bama sat under the palm tree at the airport. His thoughts   
were plagued by what was and what wasn't going on in life.  
Billy Cruiser sat in his office looking at some satellite air   
maps. He was attempting to relearn the makeup of the world from a   
pilot's point of view. Billy looked up from his desk and sighed. "I   
need to get out of here."  
At that exact moment the phone rang. Billy grabbed the phone.   
"Lone Palm Airlines. Billy Cruiser here. How can I help you?"  
"Billy, its JC. Is Frank busy?"  
"JC. Well damn boy I was just thinking about you. Tell me, when   
you need a ride back?"  
"That's kinda the thing Billy. I need one ASAP. When do you   
think Frank can make it here by?"  
"Sorry boy, Frank's busy. He's leaving soon."  
"Shit! Well fuck. I need outta here yesterday. Hey, are you   
still qualified for seaplanes?"  
Billy looked at the maps on his desk. "Yeah, of course. Not   
that FAA rules apply to bush flyers anymore, but yeah I can still run a   
Goose as well as Frank. Why?"  
"Most of Tokyo 3 is NERV controlled. What I need is a plane able   
to land on the water. There's a sizable lake outside the city that's   
perfect for landing."  
"NERV is a giant military zone I'm gonna need some high clearance   
to get in."  
JC spent the next few minutes reciting off codes and clearance   
directives that will allow the opportunity for Billy to get in to   
Tokyo 3.  
Kaji flipped the body over and tied the tie around its neck.   
"Alright Jace. It's done. Now you wanna tell me why I just dressed   
this guy up to look like me."  
JC flipped his phone closed and looked at the Japanese spy next   
to him. "Not bad, kinda wish he had longer hair but no one will notice   
when they find the body."  
Kaji looked close to dumbfounded. "What are you talking about?"  
JC looked around the room. "Gas or electric?"  
"What?"  
JC turned on his friend. "Gas or electric? What's the apartment   
heat source, natural gas or electric?"  
Kaji shook his head. "Gas why?"  
JC smiled sadistically. "Excellent. Turn the oven and stove's   
gas all the way up. I mean as high as it'll go. I want gas going   
through this whole building. You do live alone right, no one else is   
the whole building?"  
Kaji nodded as he began to piece together what the evil man   
before him was planning. "Hai."  
"Perfect. Look I want you to open all the valves on this floor   
and the one below it. I'll do the same for the floor under it and the   
ground floor. I'll meet you outside the building, alright."  
"Alright. I think I know what you're planning."  
JC reached into his coat and removed the bottle of Molotov   
cocktail. "Hope there's nothing important in here that you want to   
keep. If so get it now."  
Kaji nodded and walked into the kitchenette to open the valves on   
the oven. Out of the corner of his eye he could see JC pick up the   
framed Polaroid of himself and Misato.  
JC looked at the photo of Kaji and Misato and smiled to himself.   
He pocketed the photo and turned from the apartment to finish his job   
in a way fitting his explosive personality.  
  
  
  
A half hour passed before the pair of men stood outside the   
building. Kaji stood there holding a photo album, beside him JC held   
the Molotov cocktail. He patted himself down in an attempt to find   
something to light the explosive with.  
Kaji reached out and with a flick a match was lit. "Looking for   
one of these?"  
JC nodded as he lit the rag sticking out of the bottle. "I   
should have never given up smoking." He looked at the flaming bottle   
of gasoline and motor oil. "Here's to the past." JC threw the bottle   
at the building, causing the multistory apartment building to explode   
in a fireball that would make an N2 mine smile with pride.  
Kaji turned his back and began walking down the street. "To the   
past." He could feel the flames radiate from the place that had been   
his home for the last few months.  
JC watched as the man he once considered his best friend and his   
brother walked down the street, and away from the life he had begun to   
forge for himself. "Ototo I...gomen. This is not how things should   
have happened." JC spoke as he walked alongside Kaji.  
Kaji looked to the older man. "Why do you call me that. Why do   
you refer to Misato, Rit-chan, and myself with saishi titles?"  
JC slid his hands into his coat pockets. "Because to me you are   
family. All of you. Rit-chan is Okasan, you're ototo, and Misato is   
imoto." JC sighed and looked up to the sky. "Kaji, I never had a   
traditional saishi.  
"Most of my life has been running some kind of illegal operation.   
Guns and drugs before Second Impact, the assassinations after Kiyone's   
death, and selling equipment while I was in NERV. When I met you and   
the others my life began changing. I had people to keep me in line, to   
show me where I was going wrong, and help me when I got in a bind. I   
finally had a saishi of my own."  
Kaji stopped walking and examined his friend. Truth was written   
all over his face, he was telling the truth for possibly the first in   
his life. "So who was Otosan?"  
JC chuckled slightly. "In a way I think I was, but at times I   
just felt like an overbearing big brother." Slowly he began walking   
down the street again. The building behind them was still crackling   
with flames that would not die down for hours.  
JC turned around a corner and began to lead his friend to the   
apartment he was staying in. Kaji was close behind, knowing that this   
man was his friend, no matter how much he'd changed.  
  
  
  
Ritsuko sat at the Magi terminal in her office. Exhaustively she   
punched in line after line of code. She'd been at this for the last   
two hours, ever since JC had left.  
With a gentle sigh Ritsuko leaned forward propping her elbows on   
the desk. As if by natural reaction her fingers entwined themselves   
before her face. Relaxing slightly she leaned forward and rested her   
face behind her closed hands.  
Ibuki Maya gently tapped on the door belonging to her superior.   
When she heard a voice say "ENTER" she did not hesitate to open the   
door. But the sight awaiting her was enough to cause the young   
technician to scream.  
Ritsuko sat straight up and looked at the young woman standing   
before her. "Maya?! What the hell was the meaning of that?!"  
Maya stood there stammering with an attempt to come up with an   
answer. But how do you tell the person you respect more than anyone in   
the world that they were just acting like the bastard, psychopath that   
ninety-nine percent of his underlings hate. Simple Maya pointed at her   
superior and babbled for a moment before gaining control of her tongue.  
Ritsuko raised an eyebrow as she waited to see what the young   
technician would do next to surprise her, or piss her off. "Maya   
please explain yourself. I've had a long day and my head hurts, please   
make this easy on both of us."  
Maya nodded. "Gomen sempai. It's just...well I noticed that   
while you were sitting there you looked very much like Commander Ikari,   
when he sits on the bridge. You had your hands folded the same way he   
does, and it surprised me that's all."  
Ritsuko didn't believe that last part. No one screams like that   
out of pure surprise. "Is that all, Maya?"  
Maya picked up the files she'd been carrying and placed them on   
the doctor's desk. "I wanted to deliver these reports to you. There's   
something very important in there. It's about Mr. Kaji."  
Ritsuko looked suspiciously at the younger woman, knowing full   
well what she would soon see. The tragic "demise" of her long time   
friend. "Maya, is the news on yet?"  
Maya curiously looked at her watch. "Hai sempai. But why do you   
want to watch the news? Anything Eva related is kept off the news you   
know that as well as any of us."  
Ritsuko pointed to the chair across from her. "Sit, join me. A   
friend told me I should watch the news. Wanna find out why?" She   
added a small smile for the young technician.  
Maya nodded. "Hai, hai." She slowly stepped upto the chair and   
sat down as the television flickered on and flashed to the local news   
station.  
  
The pair of Magi technicians sat in Ritsuko's office watching the   
news of a gas fire that had ripped through an empty building on the   
outskirts of the city. All that could be heard was the news announcer   
babbling about how lucky they were that no one was in the building when   
it went up in flames, and that the local fire department would not   
bother to extinguish it, due to lacking necessity.  
A single tear ran down the side of Ritsuko's face as she watched   
the newscaster. She knew that this was no accidental gas fire, JC had   
done this little deed to cover his tracks, and cover them he had.  
  
  
Misato and Shinji lay on Misato's futon. The elder purple haired   
NERV Operations Director was soundly asleep in her young charge's arms.   
She had cried herself to sleep that night listening to the soothing   
voice of the child next to her.  
Shinji on the other hand was still awake. He had fallen asleep   
earlier, but Misato's incoherent dream babble and his own nightmares   
had roused him from his slumber. He had planned on retrieving his   
trusty S-DAT player until he noticed that he'd fallen asleep holding   
Misato. Knowing full well that she needed him, and he too probably   
needed her, Shinji could not pull himself away from his troubled guardian.  
Misato nuzzled closer into Shinji's reassuring arms and mumbled   
something. Her speech was so low it was almost incomprehensible, but   
to Shinji's extraordinary hearing he caught what she was saying.  
"Kaji...no...don't...not home...he's there...JC...Judas..."  
Very little of the speech made sense to the young pilot, of   
course very little about his beautiful guardian made sense to him. He   
understood the words themselves, but their order and meanings were   
beyond him. Especially the words "JC" and "Judas". He knew them to be   
English, or at the least foreign, but their meanings were lost on him.   
He would have to question her about it in the morning.  
  
Kaji and JC sat at the table in "JC's apartment". A kettle of   
warm water sat between them and a small cup before each of them. They   
had been sitting in the same position drinking green tea and talking   
for the last hour.  
JC sipped his tea and smiled. "Whoever lived in this place had   
good tastes. Expensive tea, nice furo, silk lined futons, wish I'd met   
these people."  
Kaji looked at his friend. "You mean you didn't kill them and   
take the place?"  
JC glared. "Please Kaji, give me some credit. This isn't the   
movies where I just come in, kill everyone, kill you and leave. A real   
assassin takes care not to leave unnecessary evidence lying around. I   
wouldn't be considered one of the best if I didn't watch my ass, would   
I now?"  
Kaji nodded. "You know it's the same way in the spy business.   
Everyone thinks this stuff is all just James Bond, Austin Powers, and   
whatnot. No one ever thinks that I'd be stuck in front of a computer   
terminal for days at a time looking up information, studying building   
schematics," Kaji sighed and sipped his tea. "I guess we really are   
too much alike."  
JC nodded. "We always acted like brothers. If I hadn't been   
born is Cuba but in Japan maybe it'd be damn near believable." JC   
would have kept talking, but his cell phone rang. "Pardon me Kaji-  
san." JC bowed and stood up as he opened the phone walking down the   
hall.  
JC stood in the guest bedroom. "Hai, hai. I know what next week   
is. Hai. Kiri-chan, Kiri-chan, Kiri-chan SHUT UP! I'll be here.   
Okay? Have I ever missed it? Of course not. Yes I am on business   
right now, but I'll have it taken care of by tomorrow. Hai, hai. I'll   
be here. I promise this time lunch and the flowers are on me. I   
insist. Good. Sayonara."  
JC closed his phone and placed it back in his coat pocket. He   
slumped against the wall and slid to the floor. He hadn't lied. Every   
year on the anniversary of Kiyone's death JC made a week long trip back   
to Hokkaido, where she was buried in a family plot. No matter how   
often her parent blamed him for her death, he still came and paid his   
respects to her and her family.  
Kaji stood outside the bedroom listening to the conversation his   
friend had been engaged in. As heated as the debate was Kaji knew that   
JC was one to hold his promises, no matter what they were. And this   
promise he seemed to be in need of keeping was getting on someone's   
nerves. Kaji stepped away from the room and began down the hall, he   
knew that his friend would need some time alone.  
  
  
Billy Cruiser turned the wheel of the large seaplane to the   
starboard side. Pushing the throttle up a little Billy flew the large   
plane through a series of small rain clouds. Radar over Tokyo 3 was   
bound to pick up his uninvited arrival, but with the landing codes JC   
had provided he was reasonably assured that he'd have no problem   
landing somewhat unharmed.  
Billy knew that he would not be landing for a few hours more.   
But the fear of the unknown danger awaiting him was keeping the old   
pilot nearly terrified.  
  
  
  
  
Morning had come far sooner than expected. Somehow the young   
pilot of Evangelion Unit 01 had successfully pried himself from the   
strong arms of his commanding officer and guardian. At the present   
moment he was attempting to make an edible breakfast for himself,   
knowing that Misato would just have a beer when she woke up.  
Shinji sat at the kitchen table nibbling on a piece of toast as   
thoughts of last night ran through his mind. Very little of the night   
had made sense. He knew that Misato had received a very disturbing   
message from Kaji, he knew that Misato had cried for many hours after   
receiving said message, and it is possible that had he not been there   
that Misato might have done something she'd have greatly regretted.  
Shinji wished that Kaji were here for him to talk to. He knew   
that the older man would understand his guardian better and would also   
be able to give him some insight on how to help her. Shinji looked   
down at the toast with a weak sigh. As he looked up he saw a zombie   
Misato stumble down the hall in his direction.  
Misato ran her hand across the wall attempting to keep herself on   
her feet. 'I feel like I was on a twelve-hour bender, and someone   
decided to mix acid in with whatever I drank. Misato removed her hand   
from the wall as she made her way to the refrigerator. "Ohayo   
gozaimasu, Shinji-kun."  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Misato-san. Would you like a beer?"  
Misato seemed to perk up at the thought of her morning beer, but   
her enjoyment did not last very long. "No, Shinji-kun. I think I'll   
head into work a little early this morning. I have some work I need to   
go over before turning it over to the commander."  
Shinji nodded. "Shall I make you something to eat?" Shinji   
began to stand and prepare something for Misato to eat.  
"Would you please. I'm going to take a bath real quick." With   
that Misato turned and walked back down the hall. Out of the corner of   
her eye, Misato caught a glimpse of the answering machine. On its face   
she could still see it reading there were messages still on its digital   
memory. "I'll listen to them later," she mumbled as she entered the   
bathroom.  
Shinji watched his guardian as she walked down the hall. Even in   
her present sleepy condition he could tell that last night was still on   
her mind. He looked at the answering machine and noticed that it read   
three messages, but he only remembered hearing one message. Curiosity   
finally gripped the young man and he stepped over to the machine to   
find out the answer to the small mystery.  
With a flip of the switch Kaji's message from the night before   
began playing through the quiet apartment.  
  
  
JC nudged Kaji. "Wake up sleepy head. We have to go."  
Kaji rubbed his eyes. He sat up on the hard futon he'd borrowed   
for the night. "Why, what's going on?"  
JC began walking out of the room. "SEELE found us. I figured   
they'd kill me after the assignment was "complete", but I didn't think   
they'd try this soon."  
Kaji jumped off the futon and began following his friend. "So   
what now? I mean do we run or fight?"  
JC cocked one of his Eagles. "Both. We're gonna make a run for   
it soon enough. Our ride's gonna be here in about an hour. We are   
going to have to fight to make it to the plane. I'm just worried we're   
not going to make it in time."  
JC picked up the MP-6 and examined it before handing the powerful   
automatic hand rifle to his friend. "Take this. There are extra mags   
on the table. Take a few, there's thirty-two shots to each clip,   
that's all I have so shoot carefully. The last thing I want to do is   
resort to uranium depleted ammunition."  
Kaji gaped at the man before him. "You got Uranium depleted   
bullets into the city? How?"  
JC cocked his other Eagle. "NERV doesn't know I have it. If I'm   
right NERV doesn't even know I'm here, unless Ikari got smart and   
reviewed yesterday's recordings. That's doubtful though. I don't even   
think Ikari would recognize me if we met face-to-face."  
Kaji looked at his friend with a small hint of jealousy. This   
man that he'd know to be a trained killer was also the man he'd spent   
hours on end with hacking computers with in college in an attempt to   
keep their grades high enough for their scholarships. But he knew from   
looking at his friend's lack of emotion that the young teen he'd known   
was gone and replaced by this killing machine. Efficient and dedicated   
to what was on his mind, Kaji wished he had that kind of mentality.  
Kaji ignored the ominous man to his left. His thoughts had   
turned to a purple haired woman whom he was leaving behind. He'd lost   
her eight years previous and now he would lose her again.  
JC looked at his friend and sighed under his breath. He knew   
what was on Kaji's mind. His old friend had the same look he'd had all   
those years ago when he was thinking about Misato. Almost as if by   
instinct JC began to hum a song that was so true to the coming hours it   
seemed cryptic. "Sinner on the mainland. He's a sinner on the sea.   
He looks for absolution, not accountability." JC hummed the music   
before he finished reciting the lyrics. "How many destinations? Oh   
God he's seen them all. He collects his precious pittance in every   
port of call."  
Kaji looked at the older man slightly confused. "'Remittance   
Man'? What caused that to come to mind?"  
JC holstered his guns and lifted his bag onto his shoulder. "Ya   
ever think that maybe I'm using this as a stepping stone to my own   
absolution? I've pretty much broken the hell out of the promise I made   
to Kiyone. I think I should take the time to rework my life and fix my   
mistakes, starting with you all.  
Kaji nodded and looked out the window of the apartment. "We've   
got company."  
JC opened the door to the apartment. "Please tell me it's   
seventeen stories tall and purple."  
Kaji shook his head as he followed his friend. "Sorry, no. Its   
SEELE, and they look pissed."  
JC withdrew one of his pistols. "How can you tell? I figured   
they'd be wearing masks." JC slammed himself and his friend against   
the wall. Carefully he peeked out from behind the corner too see if   
anyone was there.  
Kaji withdrew the automatic and cocked it. "I'm a spy, I notice   
little things like that."  
JC fired three rounds down the hall. "Fine, notice them later.   
We're leaving." He pulled his seabag up high on his shoulder and took   
to a sprint down the hall.  
  
  
Ritsuko sat at her terminal reading the reports Maya had   
delivered the night before. She wished that the young technician   
hadn't left her so soon. It was only recently that she'd begun to   
notice it, and after JC's little appearance that she allowed herself   
the time to think about it.  
Ritsuko was lonely. Sure she had her cats at home, and Commander   
Ikari when he needed her, but beyond that Ritsuko was alone. And she   
beginning to feel old. Ritsuko looked at the phone on her desk and had   
the sudden urge to call Misato.  
As Ritsuko began dialing, she noticed that the clock on her   
monitor showed seven in the morning. Ritsuko knew that her old friend   
would NEVER be up this early. So she returned the phone to its cradle   
and submerged herself in her paperwork.  
  
  
Misato pulled her shirt on in a torpid manner. She'd heard   
Kaji's message while she'd been in the bath. The tears had begun to   
fall down her cheeks again, but she soon regained control of herself   
when she heard JC's digitized voice speaking to her. It had been   
enough to drag her from the bath and force her to get dressed.  
Her curiosity was killing her. She had to know what it was that   
JC had left her. Misato was half way out of her bedroom when Kaji's   
voice was heard once more.  
'The way to the truth, which you wished, was sent by the other 36   
methods, to you. But those will not reach you. The guaranteed is only   
this capsule. This is all that I have. It's absolutely up to you how   
to use this. The pass code is our first memory. Ciao, take care.'  
  
Shinji listened to the messages somewhat confused. He recognized   
Kaji's voice, but the other man on the answering machine was a mystery   
to him. Even though it was the man had some kind of previous   
attachment to Misato.  
Shinji resigned himself to ask his guardian when she exited her   
room. But the chance would have to wait as Misato ran from the   
apartment pulling her bomber jacket on.  
  
  
  
  
Kaji looked at the man covering his flank. "Jace. How many   
shots you got left?"  
JC fired off another round and ejected the magazine. He and Kaji   
were standing in an alleyway a few kilometers from their pickup zone.   
"Three mags left. You?"  
"Two magazines. How many of those uranium rounds do you have?"  
JC chambered a round in his Eagle. "Twenty, why? Don't think   
that we're using them. Those are last resort weapons."  
Kaji fired twice down the alley. "Well then big guy, you better   
have another ace up that trenchcoat of yours. Because we're running   
out of ammunition and time."  
JC took a second to glance at the watch on his left wrist.   
"Dammit. Another hour, and we're still too far away." JC leaned   
against the wall and looked down to the bag he'd been carrying, almost   
instantly an evil smile appeared on his face. "Kaji cover me for a   
moment, I just had an idea."  
Kaji glanced at his friend and watched as the strange Latin man   
began rummaging through his bag. Turning away the double agent stepped   
to the edge of the alley and covered his friend while he did whatever   
he was doing.  
JC reached into the bottom of his bag. "I know you're in here."   
Out of bad habit JC fell back into speaking Spanish. "Where the hell   
did I put those explosives." Pulling his arm out JC held a single   
green grenade in his hand. Carefully he set the explosive down and   
continued his rummage.  
It only took three rounds flying past the alley before JC got fed   
up and gave up his search. The C-4 packs he'd brought were in the bag   
somewhere, but it was obvious he didn't have time to find them.   
Quickly retrieving his arm from the depths of the large green nylon   
bag, JC's hand brushed against something cold and rubbery. With a   
lecherous grin JC removed a half pound block of C-4, with its detonator   
attached and primed.  
"Kaji!" JC caught himself and switched back to speaking   
Japanese. "Kaji-san. Grab that grenade and let's go. I found what   
I'm looking for, and I just had another idea."  
Kaji looked at the grenade next to his left foot. Why hadn't he   
noticed it before? Kaji didn't bother to ask. He retrieved the   
explosive device and followed the shadow of a man before him as he ran   
to a nearby parking garage. Instantly he knew what JC was planning.  
  
  
  
"WOO HOO!!!" JC slammed the gas down. The large black Hummer   
sped down the empty street in a mad rush for the opposing outskirts of   
Tokyo 3.  
JC looked to his passenger. "Gotta love these vehicles, American   
military ingenuity at its best. Makes me glad my guns are Israeli."  
Kaji turned to the crazy man driving the obscenely large vehicle.   
"Jay. Tell me something. How did you know there was a Humvee in that   
parking garage?"  
JC threw the wheel to the left in an attempt to avoid a road   
block that had been erected months ago. "I didn't. I figured that the   
American's buy all of your exports, someone around here must have   
wanted to show off the amount of money that they made annually and   
would have a big SUV. I didn't expect one of these babies. Nice ride   
too, I think I might invest in one when I get back home."  
Kaji grabbed onto the side of the large vehicle as it drove   
around a corner.  
  
  
  
Billy Cruiser landed the large seaplane in the middle of Lake   
Ashinoko. Slowly he taxied his way to the edge of the lake. He knew   
that he didn't have much time before NERV security or someone else   
showed up to question why this plane had landed at the lake rather than   
at the airport.  
He opened the window to let the gentle breeze float in. He could   
smell the gas and oil from the big engines, but under all that he could   
smell something familiar. Fish and rice. He could smell someone   
cooking fish and rice.  
Subconsciously he began drooling. It had been almost a day since   
he'd last eaten something. Quickly he stood and began searching the   
aft cargo hold for some kind of food.  
The search didn't last long. Rumbling could be heard in the   
distance. Curiously Billy opened the aft door to see what the noise   
was. In the distance he could make out the familiar figure of a   
Humvee, something he hadn't seen since the Post-Second Impact wars.  
Cursing loudly Billy threw down the stairs and waited for the   
crazy assassin he knew was on his way.  
  
  
The aforementioned assassin was at that moment standing in the   
back of the large vehicle, leaning against the roll bar. With his feet   
spread and his hands wrapped around the handle of his Desert Eagle JC   
fired off three simultaneous rounds at the Jeep following them.  
"Kaji. Can you see the plane?" JC yelled at his friend.  
"Hai!" Kaji replied in an equally loud yell.  
"Good. Head to it and don't stop for anything."  
In response Kaji jammed his foot down on the gas and plowed   
through the Jeep that had been blocking their path. JC placed a bullet   
in the driver of the Jeep as they passed.  
  
JC ejected the magazine and replaced it quickly. "Two left. Not   
good." He turned his head slightly. "Two hundred meters, sixty-four   
rounds, twenty seconds drive," JC fired twice at incoming SEELE   
personnel. "Sixty-two rounds, fifteen seconds drive, and a minute for   
take off. Damn I love close calls." JC smiled wickedly to himself as   
he fired at an incoming vehicle, blowing its tires out.  
JC slid over the roll bar and sat down next to Kaji. "Bro. You   
sure you still want to drive?"  
Kaji slammed the wheel hard to the left throwing JC into the   
passenger door. "I'm fine. Are we going to make it?"  
JC pulled himself off the door and looked ahead. "Hai, but   
barely." JC reached into his coat and pulled out his cell phone.   
Using a built in microchip he switched it to a VHF radio and began   
signaling Billy. In simple Morse code he left the message, "Start 'er   
up. SOS."  
  
Billy watched as the large SUV rumbled nearer. Suddenly his   
attention was dragged to the cockpit as a simple message in Morse code   
began playing through the speakers. It took Billy a moment before he   
caught it; it had been a LONG time since anyone used Morse code.  
"SOS? Shit JC!" With speed rivaling a crazed jackrabbit Billy   
was back in the pilot's seat warming up the engines.  
  
JC could see the engines of the plane as they began whirling.   
Silently he said a prayer to every deity he knew of. "Push it Kaji.   
We don't have much time."  
In response Kaji slammed the gas petal to the floor, causing the   
large vehicle to surge forward.  
  
Inside the plane Billy had the engines running and was in the   
pilot's seat waiting on his charges. He was on the radio with Tokyo 3   
Tower for clearance to leave.  
  
The pair of renegades jumped from the large tank-like vehicle and   
ran the last few meters to the plane. Kaji ran full force towards the   
only available escape route. Behind him he could hear JC's signature   
pistols as they covered the escape.  
Just outside the plan JC holstered his pistols and looked at   
Kaji. "Get on there man."  
Kaji looked at his friend. "You coming or what?"  
JC shook his head. "I'm staying here."  
Kaji looked confused. "I don't understand. Why?"  
"I'm staying here until the plane gets away safely. I've got   
clean up to do. We left WAY too many dead bodies behind us. I don't   
like leaving evidence if I can help it."  
Kaji looked at his friend.  
"Kaji-san. If you don't leave now you'll regret it. Maybe not   
now, maybe not soon, but soon enough. And you'll regret it for the   
rest of your short life."  
"What about you? What about our friendship?"  
"I'll be fine. We'll always have Germany."  
Kaji glared at his friend. "I always said I'd never leave you to   
die alone."  
JC returned the glare. "And you never will. I've got a job to   
do, and right now its saving your life. What I do you and the others   
can't be a part of. Kaji, I'm no good at being noble anymore, but it   
doesn't take much to see that the problems of two little people don't   
amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Maybe someday you'll   
understand that."  
JC reaches out and takes Kaji's face in his hand, forcing his old   
friend to look at him. Slurring his voice slightly he spoke, "Here's   
lookin' at you kid."  
Kaji smiled. "You and your damn Pre-Impact movies. Take care   
Judas." With that Kaji slammed the door to the plane closed. A moment   
later the plane was making its way across the lake.  
  
JC watched awestruck that his friend had said his real name. The   
emotion didn't last long as JC felt a bullet find purchase within his   
shoulder blade.  
JC whirled around and fired into the oncoming trooper. "Hope ya   
make it home Kaji-ototo."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Epilogue  
  
  
Kaji stood in Charleston, Carolina, formerly Charleston, South   
Carolina, looking at the ocean. It had been two weeks since JC had   
evacuated him from the fortress city of Tokyo 3, and he had heard   
nothing of his friend.  
Kaji's inside contacts with the JSSDF hadn't even heard about   
SEELE's little attack on himself and JC, so he had to assume that JC   
had survived and cleaned up the mess they had made in their escape.  
Turning and returning to the house Kaji wished his friend the   
best in his life.  
  
  
  
  
Hokkaido Cemetery. The sun was out but not shining as to make   
the day seem happy, rather it was there as a reminder that even the sun   
shines when someone's looking.  
  
A large shadowy man walked through the path. The few people   
present either ignored the man or looked away as he strode past them.   
As silent as a jungle cat stalking its dinner the man made his way to   
his intended destination. Throwing a large green nylon bag over his   
shoulder the man turned down a side isle and continued his trek.  
  
  
Silently the man kneeled before an ordinary gray headstone.   
Bowing his head the man said a simple prayer before he looked at the   
Kanji engraved into the headstone. Sketched into the stone was the   
name Kirishima Kiyone.  
The man reached into the bag and removed a bouquet of white   
flowers. Roses, lilies, baby's breath and carnations made up the   
simple bouquet. Giving the flowers a last look the man placed them   
beside the headstone.  
  
In the distance the sound of three sets of footsteps could be   
heard closing the distance between them and the man. With no need to   
look at the incoming group the man kissed his gloved right first and   
second fingers and placed them against the stone.  
A man in a brown business suit, power tie, and glossy black shoes   
was walking up the path towards the grave. A step behind him was a   
woman in a tight formfitting flower-print Mandarin Chinese dress. To   
the side of the woman was a young brunette girl in a school uniform.   
The man led the way towards the grave, he walked with a purpose   
and seemed to be a man of power. He indignantly ignored the large   
obsidian-clad man standing near the grave.  
  
The man watched as the family passed him. Silently he watched   
each move by him, wishing he could join them but knowing they would   
never allow it. The father blatantly ignored him as he walked by,   
paying more attention to the headstone and his walk than with the man   
beside it.  
The mother spared the young man a glance, filled with pure   
hatred. Her look may have caused Gendo to shudder with the amount of   
venom and hatred that permeated from her eyes. The man looked away in   
time to share a passing glance with the young girl as she passed by   
him.  
The young girl's deep green eyes looked deeply into the man's   
somber black eyes. Unlike the eyes of her parents the girl's gaze was   
not harsh nor hateful, rather she gave the remorseful man a gentle and   
almost caring smile. Quickly he returned the smile before turning to   
the girl's parents.  
The mature couple kneeled before the grave. The young girl   
followed suit with her parents. With his hands crossed behind his back   
the man bowed his head in respect.  
  
Time slowed to an almost nonexistent crawl. No one moved, no one   
spoke, the cemetery itself seemed to understand that these four souls   
needed this silence. All it did though was widen the invisible expanse   
between the three adults gathered.   
Time regained its normal pace as the father stepped towards the   
man bowing his head. Looking up he bowed to the approaching man.   
"Kirishima-san"  
The man glared. "Gaijin." His voice was filled with disgust and   
hate that was rarely seen between two sober men.  
The tanned man flinched at the man's disrespect. "Senor   
Kirishima. I apologize for monopolizing you daughter's time before   
your arrival." The man's speech was a strong mix; he spoke in fluent   
Japanese but used the Spanish prefixes of respect.  
Mr. Kirishima's glare seemed to deepen. "Gaijin. How often must   
I tell you? Avoid this place, avoid my daughter, and avoid my family.   
I know who you are Gaijin. Your work is known to me."  
"Senor Kirishima, please. I loved your daughter more than life   
itself. I feel responsible that she died that day. If she hadn't been   
my partner I know that she would still be alive today."  
You are correct about one thing, Gaijin. You are responsible for   
her death." Mr. Kirishima turned away from the man. "If you ever   
return to my daughter's side I will have you removed."  
The man was thankful for the sunglasses he wore. It prevented   
his would be in-laws from seeing the tears gathering in his eyes.   
"Understood Senor."  
  
Without another word Mr. Kirishima and his wife began leaving the   
way that had arrived. As the pair were nearly out of sight the man   
turned back to his lover's grave.  
Standing next to the headstone was the young girl. No smile, no   
tears, the girl's emotions were nonexistent. Her deep green eyes   
stared deeply into the man's obsidian ones.  
"JC-san."  
"Mana-san."  
"I didn't think you'd come this year."  
"Mana. I love your sister. I have since I met her."  
Mana smiled gently at the assassin. "You know mother and father   
blame you for Kiyone's death." JC nodded solemnly. "But I don't."  
JC looked up at Mana. The young girl had wrapped her hand around   
JC's large gloved hand. A tiny smile began forming at the corners of   
his mouth. "I know Mana-san, I know. It's just good to hear you say   
it though."  
Mana smiled broadly. "Jace. Will you do something for me?"  
JC looked confused. "If I can."  
Mana's smile grew. "Call me sister?"  
JC returned the smile just as wide. "Not a problem, Mana-imoto."  
JC released Mana's hand. "Will you give me a few moments alone?"  
Mana looked at JC and then to Kiyone's grave. "Of course   
oniisan. Do you still want to go to lunch after this?"  
JC nodded as he knelt before the grave. "Of course. And this   
time I'm paying."  
"Alright." Mana turned and began walking towards her parents and   
the guards waiting to return her back to the base where the Trident's   
had been housed and she'd been trained to pilot them.  
  
JC knelt before the headstone. "Aikoka. Quite a bit has   
happened in the past few months since I last came to see you. I   
finally went back to Tokyo like I told everyone I'd do. Hai, hai, I   
did run into the others.  
"Ne. They know my name now; I only had to tell Misato. Ritsuko   
has known for years, and Kaji-san found out for himself. I know you   
told me I should have told them years ago, but I never needed to. Why   
now? Well because I almost lived upto the Judas in my name."  
JC paused and took a deep breath. "Things are going to change.   
This last job I took has shown me that I nearly broke my promise to   
you. I'm putting down the guns and re-evaluating my life. I've made   
enough money over the last few years that I can easily go straight."   
JC hummed, "I always did want to open a restaurant."  
JC smiled as he someone had told him a joke. "I know you loved   
my cooking. What do you think? A restaurant that sells French,   
Italian, and Japanese cuisine, right in downtown Hokkaido? I think it   
could work.  
"Plus it would let me brush up on my Japanese, I am a bit rusty."   
JC smiled again. "Hai, I am going to lunch with Mana. She really   
wants to know more about you and me too a bit. So I figured I'd take   
her to that restaurant you liked down on 3rd street."  
JC sighed again. "Well Mana-imoto is waiting. I promise I'll be   
back tomorrow." JC kissed his gloved fingers and touched the   
headstone. After a long moment the assassin stood and turned to the   
group of heavily armed thugs and pair of pissed off parents standing   
with the young girl he was going to lunch with.  
  
As silent as a mouse in a church JC walked to his new little   
sister. Stopping for a second he threw a glance back to the grave he'd   
left and smiled gently. Turning around he continued his trek towards   
Mana and lunch.  
  
  
Complete.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*Chibi Dude Slayer does official author's jig*  
  
TDS: Thanks little dude. Well everyone I know I said this would   
be out 2 weeks ago, but I got a bit tied up. Finals were going of for   
the past few days, and Thanksgiving, and family, and stuff...well I   
just kinda got tied up. But here it is Justice Complete 3. I should   
he Justice Complete: Final Justice up soon, I hope.  
CDS: Don't count on it people.  
TDS: *sighs* Unfortunately the little cretin's right. Don't   
count on it being done anytime soon. With Christmas and New Year's   
coming up I don't know how long it'll be but I'll have it up soon.  
CDS: Until then I guess you can go enjoy the screw-ups poetry on   
the site. It's actually pretty good.  
TDS: *awestruck* That's it, I'm gonna die. I know it. He's   
complementing me. It's the end of the world, I know it is."  
CDS: *smashed 4x6 across The Dude Slayer's head* Sorry people   
the stress of finals had fried his brain. He should be fine soon,   
*looks down at the body* I hope. Well e-mail is appreciated  
  
redrum124@bigfoot.com  
and stop by the site  
http://the_dude_slayer.tripod.com/Home.html  
  
  
CDS: Quick notes. We don't own any of the characters here, Ginax   
does. Except for Frank and Billy, those belong to Jimmy Buffett.   
Along with the lyrics for "Remittance Man". Well I guess The Dude   
Slayer has control over JC and Kiyone.  
Yes, JC's real name is Judas. Like the betrayer in the Bible. For a   
guy that doesn't like religion TDS sure has a fascination with it.   
*shrugs* Oh well. Uh...translations. Yeah.  
Imoto: Little sister  
Aikoka: Lover(devoted)  
Saishi: Family  
Oniisan: Older brother  
Otosan: Father  
Ototo: Younger brother  
Okasan: Mother  
Tadamia: I'm home!  
Ohayo gozaimasu: Good morning.  
  
I believe that's all of them. So until next tim.  
  
  
Later losers!! 


	4. Complete Justice

Neon Genesis Evangelion  
Justice Complete  
Complete Justice  
  
  
  
  
  
Danger reader! Danger! End of Evangelion spoilers! You have been   
warned! Enjoy! ^_^  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Journal Entry: April 12, 2016  
  
  
It has been almost two months since I returned from Hokkaido. My   
talks with Kiyone and Mana have helped me see the error of my ways.   
For some reason the two weeks I spent in Japan seemed to be the two   
weeks that everyone wanted to hire me. I must have lost out on five or   
six million dollars worth of jobs.  
But that doesn't really matter. The money was never the reason I   
took up this job, and never will be. I haven't gone back out on a job  
since I returned home.  
  
Everyone is getting worried about me. Frank and Billy have a   
vague idea of what happened to me on my trip, but they have no   
comparison to what happened. The girls at the bars and clubs are   
getting worried, I haven't show up once since I left for Columbia three   
months ago, and I'm a regular everywhere. I've had a few calls from   
the bartenders asking for me. Not that I answer any of them.  
I can't remember the last time I even answered a phone. My   
answering machine needs to be emptied, and I don't even want to think   
about my voice mail.  
  
I have a strange feeling that I need to go back to Tokyo 3. Not   
sure why, but something big is going on over there, and its going to   
happen soon. Maybe I should cash out and buy a ticket. Been a long   
time since I flew commercially.  
Though I must admit the boat ride back home was a lot more   
relaxing than I thought it would have been. Carousal still owns the   
main airport, but his goons won't sell me a ticket. They hate me,   
guess that happens when you put six UD bullets into a crime lord's son.  
Well back to Billy and Frank I guess.  
  
Until life throws me a new curve ball, or God smites me with his   
mighty fist of justice, life be given to all.  
  
Judas Moonflower Crenshaw  
14:52:00 Zulu  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
JC pulled on his black trench coat and straightened out the few   
wrinkles forming in its Kevlar-cloth design. He looked at the table   
where his black leather gloves and Desert Eagle handguns lay waiting on   
him to pick them up.  
With a defeated sigh JC picked up the gloves and slid them onto   
his powerfully, masculine hands. Slowly, like a man on a death   
sentence, the assassin covered his hands. Taking care not to move the   
bandages wrapped around his wrists, the tan man prepared himself for   
battle.  
JC looked down at his wrists as he finished pulling the gloves on   
and remembered how it happened.  
  
  
JC rolled over in his bed. Half asleep he noticed   
something acrid touch his lips. He knew it wasn't booze, he preferred   
things with a sweeter taste. With a pissed expression the man who   
should be dead dragged himself from bed and made his way to the   
bathroom.  
JC looked in the mirror at himself and saw a streak of red   
liquid making its way down his face and ending at his lips. Worried JC   
began searching himself for bullet holes, knives, or anything that   
could have cut him. That was when he noticed his wrists.  
Holes the size of railroad spikes were punched through the  
man's wrists. All the way through, he could see blood seeping through   
both sides of his wrists. Thinking quickly JC turned the water on in   
the sink and began washing the wounds.  
After a few minutes the young man pulled some gauze wrap   
from his first aid kit and wrapped his wrists. He walked to the toilet   
and removed a Glock 9mm from behind the tank. Assuming someone was in   
his apartment JC began searching for his attacker and or their weapon.  
  
JC's search lasted all of an hour before he gave up.  
Knowing he would find nothing JC looked down at the red splotches   
forming on the bandages. Suddenly he was struck by a thought.   
Grabbing the phone he quickly dialed one of the local whorehouses.  
  
Two hours later JC had cleaned and dressed his wounds once   
again as a knock came at the door. Without waiting for an answer a man   
in a slick business suit walked in. He carried an air of authority and   
respect.  
JC glared at the man and held up his wrists. "Tell me   
about the stigmata."  
The man gave JC a strange look before stepping closer.   
"Ju..." JC glared at the man. "JC, why do you want to know about the   
stigmata of a God you don't believe in?"  
JC slowly began unwrapping his left wrist. "Because Father   
Emerson. I think I may have them." He placed the gauze down on the   
kitchen table and held up his wrist. Most of the wound had healed, but   
there was still enough open that light passed easily from one side to   
the other.  
The man who had been a priest ran to JC's side and grabbed   
his arms. Carefully he inspected the holes in the man's arms. "Jace,   
how in hell did this happen?"  
JC glared at the man before him. "I woke up bleeding.   
Look I know what you're thinking. Probably bullet holes or knife   
wounds, but if you look close enough the wholes are perfect circles.   
No obvious entry or exit, just the holes."  
The priest nodded. "You're right. I see it now." He   
looked up at the assassin. "You do know I'll have to inform the Church   
of this."  
JC laughed heartily. "Right. Like, I'm going to hand   
myself over to those psycho Romans. There are WAY too many people in   
Italy that want my head on a platter, and at least half of them work   
for the Church."  
The priest sighed and turned away from the assassin.   
"Fine. But don't come to me when the other stigmata begin appearing."   
Without another word Father Emerson left the young assassin to his own   
fate.   
  
  
  
JC picked up his pistols and holstered them. He didn't have time   
to waste on idle thoughts. Placing a few extra magazines and a bowie   
knife into the inner pockets of his coat JC exited his apartment to   
make a lonely trek across the island.  
  
A few minutes later the sound of a large motorcycle could be   
heard moving away from the building.  
  
  
  
  
JC walked his Harley upto Lone Palm Airport. Quickly he glanced   
inside before walking the bike into the hanger. He could see Frank   
sitting under the wing of the Hemisphere Dancer and Billy was in the   
back office filing papers.  
JC smiled at his two airborne friends. Probably the only two   
real friends he had left on the island. With a smug look JC pulled out   
his knife and threw it at the far wall, causing a loud clang to emanate   
forth in the expansive hanger.  
  
Frank and Billy jumped at the unexpected sound. The pair of   
pilots shared a quick questioning glance before turning to the source   
of the sound. The obsidian clad assassin standing in their doorway.  
Frank stepped upto the younger man; he gave the assassin a gentle   
smile. "JC. Been a while. We were beginning to think you were dead."  
  
JC returned the smile. "Not dead, yet. No, I just spent the   
last few months doing some thinking that's all." JC leaned the bike on   
its kickstand and walked over to the chair next to the one Frank had   
occupied a moment ago. He fell into the chair and propped his feet up   
on the coffee table in front of himself.  
Frank returned to his chair while Billy pulled up a chair   
opposite both of them. "So what have you been upto recently?" Frank   
asked with genuine curiosity.  
JC lowered his gaze momentarily. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."  
Billy looked at the young assassin curiously. He didn't need to   
ask what JC meant, he could see that the man was telling the truth.   
"So, Jace. What happened that caused you to stay in Tokyo?"  
JC looked up at the older pilot. "I..." JC questioned the answer   
he was going to give, but resigned himself to the truth. "I was   
visiting my ex-fiancée's grave."  
  
Billy and Frank shared a look of confusion as they looked at JC.   
Neither knew about Kiyone and JC being engaged. They had met Kiyone   
just after the pair had been reassigned to Nevada. JC had worked an   
overnight layover on the island. While the team had the day off JC and   
Kiyone stopped by the hanger to visit for a few hours before JC,   
Kiyone, Frank, Billy, and Trevor (Frank's girlfriend at the time) went  
out for drinks.  
Frank broke the silence. "Kiyone?" He asked carefully, to which   
JC nodded. "When did you two get engaged?"  
JC grinned slightly. "Remember when you and Trevor started   
fighting down at Captain Tony's," Frank nodded, "well Billy went off to   
talk with Tony. And I decided to pop the question there. Because if I   
didn't I wouldn't have that much available time to do so until after   
everything got settled in Nevada. Of course we were only in Nevada a   
month before she died..." JC's thoughts drifted off suddenly.  
Billy snapped his weather beaten fingers before JC's face. The   
assassin jumped slightly. Billy smirked, but it didn't last long.   
"We're sorry Jace. We didn't know."  
JC nodded. "That's how I wanted it really. It only mattered   
that I knew and her family knew. Those were the only people that   
really needed to know that she was gone."  
  
JC stood up and began pacing the small hanger. He crisscrossed   
the room a few times before stopping at the office door. Quickly he   
grabbed his knife and sheathed it. JC turned and looked at the pilots.  
"Guys. I need a ride. I need into the States proper."  
  
Frank and Billy looked slightly shocked. Ever since the embargo   
gaining access to the mainland had become nearly impossible. It took   
months just to get the paperwork to even have the government THINK   
about allowing the islanders access. Both men knew that JC would be   
wanting in within a week at the most.  
Frank was the first to speak. "Jace. I hate to say this   
but...have you lost your mind?! With your history and international   
fugitive track record there's no way the governor is going to let you   
into Florida."  
JC shook his head. "I don't want into Florida. I need into   
Chicago. Got an old friend up there I need to see. Look. All I   
really need is a ride to Old New York. Drop me at Ellis Island and I   
can get in through what's left of Jersey."  
Billy held up his hand. "JC, Frank. Hold on a moment. Think   
for a moment, both of you." The aged pilot looked to the Latino. "JC  
do you still have your old NERV access codes?"  
JC stared at the old man for a moment as he thought over all the   
possible code variations he could use to get inside the United States   
proper. "Sure. I'd need to make a few calls before we left, but yeah   
I can use my old NERV codes."  
Billy nodded. "Good. If they work, then we can just drop you at   
O'Hare Int. How's that sound?"  
JC though for a few seconds. "That would cut about a week off my   
plans. So yeah if you guys want to put down at O'Hare that'll work.   
I'd rather we put down at Palwaukee."  
  
Frank rubbed the back of his neck for a moment. "Palwaukee? I   
thought they closed Palwaukee after the Impact."  
JC shook his head. "Just to commercial traffic. But I know the   
guy that owns the place. He'll let us land and refuel. I suggest   
taking the Cessna."  
Billy looked around the hanger in thought. "The Skyhawk?"  
JC shook his head. "No, the Skylane 182R. We'll need something   
fast and agile. Knowing my track record with in and out ops, we'll be   
fired on. At least twice."  
  
The pair of pilots shared a look of understanding before turning   
back to their only client. In perfect synchronization they replied,   
"We'll do it."  
JC clapped his hands together, causing a muffled clap sound. The   
young assassin grunted at the sudden movement to his wounds.  
Frank noticed the red-white slits between JC's sleeves and   
gloves. His right eyebrow rose slightly in confusion. "Jace? What   
happened to your wrists?"  
JC dropped his hands into his pockets. "Nothing."  
Billy looked between the two younger men. In the last twelve   
years he could easily tell when Frank was lying, and over the last   
three he'd begun to notice JC's lying habits. JC tended to tilt his   
head to the side as if looking out the side of his eyes.  
  
JC turned on his heel and began walking out of the room. "I'll  
call as soon as I have the available access codes. I'll get everything  
setup for the Cessna to get to Chicago, then I'll need a drop off at  
Hiroshima after we get back. There's some...stuff, I need to take care   
of back in Japan."  
Without waiting for a response, JC mounted his bike and gunned   
the engine. A few seconds later he was cruising down Duvall Street in  
the direction of his apartment.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
'Life has a funny way of playing jokes on us humans.' JC looked  
around the tiny airport. He and Frank and just landed Billy's old 2003   
Cessna Skylane 182 at Palwaukee, a small airport outside the Chicago   
suburb of Mount Prospect.  
JC picked up his green nylon duffel bag and carefully slung it   
over his left shoulder. He started towards the Quonset hut a few   
hundred yards from the hangers. He could see a black Jeep Wrangler   
waiting there for him, as he requested.  
'I know the pastor saw what I saw in my wrists. Even after the   
research I did, it still looks like a stigmata. What I can't   
understand is why me? I haven't been back to a church since I was   
thrown out as a kid for having sex during Mass. I never believed in   
any god, except maybe the Voodoo gods, so why was I given this mark of   
the world's major deity?'  
  
Frank tapped JC on the shoulder. "Jace?"  
JC jumped. "Si?"  
"Is that our man?" He pointed to a man who's skin was so dark he   
could have been mistaken for motor oil. The man stood next to the Jeep  
and watched as the pilot and assassin neared him.  
JC waved with his right hand. "MERV!" he cried out happily.  
The man under the Quonset waved back. "Jace!"  
Merv leaned against the Jeep and waited as the pair closed the   
distance between them and him. JC stepped upto the man and dropped his   
bag. In a quick motion he grabbed the man and gave him a bone breaking   
hug. The man returned the hug with equal strength.  
Frank looked at the pair and shrugged. "Hey Jace. How long are   
we going to be here?"  
JC looked at his pilot and shrugged. "All depends on my contact.   
After my last trip I...well..." JC rubbed the back of his neck, "kinda   
ran out of ammo." He smiled as he held the back of his neck.  
Frank looked perplexed as he considered what JC had just told   
him. "JC, are you telling me that you, the world famous Hourglass   
Assassin, ran out of ammunition?"  
JC smiled as he rubbed the back of his neck. His eyes, behind   
his mirrored sunglasses, darted around the Quonset. "Heh, well...yes."  
Frank shook his head. "So where are we headed?"  
JC threw his bag in the back of the Jeep. "Merv. Thanks for the   
loaner. I'll call if I need it for any more time after today."  
Merv nodded and watched Frank and JC load into the all-terrain   
vehicle. "Don't mention it. You have my mobile right?"  
"I've got your pager actually. I'll just leave a '999 Galaxy   
Express' if I need it, all right?" JC started the engine and revved it   
a few times.  
"Fair enough. See you soon Jace. Nice meeting you Frank."  
Frank nodded to the man as JC steered the Jeep out of the Quonset   
and onto the road. "So Jace, where exactly are we headed?"  
JC grinned devilishly. "An old flame of mine. She owns a gun   
store in the city. Place is called..."  
  
  
  
  
Rally Vincent sat behind the counter highlighting numbers in a   
gun catalog. Her cat-like face was feminine and beautiful, even though   
the signs of worry lines could be seen at the edges of her face. Her   
auburn hair was clipped short around her face, giving her a stylish and   
very mature look. She sat behind the counter wearing a white silk   
shirt and a dark blue skirt, the matching jacket hug on a peg near the   
door.  
Rally didn't bother to look up as she heard the bell ring. She   
just highlighted another line. "Welcome to Gunsmith Cats. How may I   
help you?" She highlighted another line and looked up. She found she   
was staring back at herself, or rather a reflection of herself.  
Rally sat back and refocused her eyes. Standing before her was a   
smiling man in a dark trench coat, dark clothing, and a pair of dark   
mirrored sunglasses. Rally smiled happily. "Dammit Bean, don't scare   
me like that."  
The man's smile faded. "Well now Ral." His thick Spanish accent   
caught the shop's proprietor off guard. "I knew you and Beanie had   
gotten close, but the day you can't distinguish between your ex and   
your present, then you've got problems."  
Rally was silent as she stared at the large man before her.  
  
The silence was shattered as Minnie May walked into the room   
attempting to connect a pair of wires. "Rally, have you seen..." she   
looked up at the pair at the counter.  
May stood just under five feet tall, with large green eyes and   
short blonde hair that gave her the appearance of a child. May dropped   
the explosive she had been attempting to complete and ran at the large   
man standing before her friend. "JC!!!" Steps away from the large man  
May jumped and clenched onto him, hugging as hard as she could.  
JC looked stunned at the little blonde woman attached to his   
chest. After a moment he returned the hug. "Minnie May?" He pulled   
the woman off and placed her on the floor. "Shit May, you haven't   
changed. What's it been...ten years?"  
May smiled happily and nodded. "Sure has, just before you left   
for Germany. How'd that go by the way?"  
JC stopped smiling. "Long story. Short version, I made it into  
NERV. But I'm retired from the security business now. I'm actually in  
between jobs at the moment."  
  
Rally used May's sudden appearance as a chance to get her voice   
back. Her gaze drifted over the ebony-clad man before her. Ten years   
had not physically changed him, except for the scar running down his   
cheek.  
Rally watched as May and JC joked with each other. She barely   
noticed when JC leaned against the counter.  
"Rally? Rally?" JC waved his hand in Rally's face and whistled.  
Rally shook herself. "Jay? JC, what are you doing here?"  
JC smiled. "I'd say I was just here to see you, but then I'd be   
lying. Actually, I'm in need of some serious gear."  
Rally frowned. "What kind of gear, exactly."  
JC pulled a small 2x2 notebook from his pocket. "2 cases of   
standard .50 caliber Eagle ammo, a case of .50 caliber Eagle hollow   
tips, three flash/bang grenades, six proximity grenades, two ounces of   
C-6..." he looked to Minnie May, "SEAL issue if you can find it, if not   
MI-6 grade works too."  
May nodded excitedly.  
JC continued his order. "Three shrapnel grenades, a half liter   
of napalm, and a date with Rally." JC placed the open notepad before   
Rally and stepped back. He caught a small grin cross May's features as   
she heard what he'd said.  
Rally took the list and examined it. "Okay Jace, I think most of   
this is doable. But its gonna take some time. I don't get many orders   
for .50 cal ammo."  
JC smiled. "That's okay. How long are we talking?"  
Rally looked at the door for a moment and sighed. "The hollow   
tips alone will take a week. I believe I can get the standards in...in  
about three days."  
JC grinned. "That's good for me. Uh...Ral. Do you have a   
restroom I can use. It was a long flight from the Republic."  
Rally pointed down the hall. "Sure. Down the hall, second on   
the left."  
JC nodded and headed down the hall towards the bathroom.  
  
  
JC closed the door and locked it behind himself. Weakly he   
removed his trench coat and placed it aside. Carefully he removed his  
holsters and placed them aside with his coat. Closing his eyes JC   
pulled his T-shirt over his head and threw it over with his coat and   
guns.  
The former assassin gasped slightly as the cool air touched his   
back. Ever so gently JC reached back and touched the open wounds on   
his back. Grimacing he pulled his hand back and looked at it, his   
gloved fingers were covered in crimson blood.  
"Shit. The next one already? But this one is on my back, I   
thought it would be the holes in my feet." JC reached over and opened   
the door. "Rally. Do you have a first aid kit?"  
  
Rally covered the mouthpiece on the phone. "May, will you go see   
what he's yelling about."  
May shrugged and walked down the hall to where JC was yelling.   
She opened the bathroom door slightly. "Jace? What's wrong?" From   
May's perspective she could make out the whip lashes easily against   
JC's dark skin. "Oh my god! JC, what's wrong?!"  
JC turned around to see May in the doorway. Quickly he pulled   
May into the room, he looked down the hall and saw Rally on the phone.   
JC looked at May. "Don't tell Rally about what I'm about to show you.  
She'll be worried about me."  
May nodded. "Alright."  
JC turned around and showed May his back. Marks ran across his   
back in all directions, many of them overlapping each other. After a   
few moments JC turned to look at the tiny blonde. "May, I have the   
stigmata."  
May looked confused. "What?"  
JC sighed and knelt down to May's level. Gently he removed his   
sunglasses, allowing May a rare sight. Sincerely JC spoke the next few   
words. "Minnie May, I'm dying."  
Minnie May gripped JC around the neck and began crying against   
his large shoulder. Her tears resembled a fountain as they streamed   
down JC's bare shoulder.  
The large man grimaced as one of the tears slid over one of the   
lashes. JC removed May and stood up. "May do you have a first aid   
kit. I want to get some disinfectant into those wounds, just in case."  
Minnie May wiped away her tears. "A-alright. Sit down, I'll   
take care of you."  
JC nodded and sat down with his back to Minnie May. "Thanks for   
doing this May."  
  
  
Rally put the phone down and sighed. "Jerk. Disappears for ten   
years and then just shows up demanding weapons. Bastard doesn't even   
bother to send a letter or a postcard. We thought he was dead when the   
papers listed his obit. The least he could have done was called."  
A wide shadow passed over Rally. "Who should have called," a   
strong male voice asked.  
"You should have JC." Rally looked up to find a pair of dark   
sunglasses and a smiling face looking back at her. "Who the hell did   
you think I...meant?" Rally blushed and looked away quickly. "Hi,   
Bean. Uh...how long have you been there?"  
Bean chuckled and looked down at Rally. "Since you hung up the   
phone. This 'JC' you mentioned, is that the same JC I think it is?"  
"International fugitive, world renowned assassin, former NERV   
Security Lieutenant, and my ex boyfriend? Is that who you were   
thinking of," Rally asked slyly.  
Bean nodded. "Sure was."  
"Then yes. It is."  
Bean nodded again. "So what brought about this sudden rant about   
him? I mean, you haven't seen him in what, ten years. What suddenly   
reminded you of him?"  
Rally looked up at Bean with a serious look. "Do you remember   
what kind of guns JC uses?"  
"Sure. Dessert Eagles. He bought them from you just after you   
opened shop. That's how he met you, wasn't it?"  
Rally blinked a few times. "You're good. Yeah. Well, look at   
this." Rally pushed the notepad over to Bean.  
Bean took the papers and looked over the inventory list that JC   
had written. He looked curiously at Rally. "He's not serious is he?   
What's he planning on doing, killing the President?"  
Rally took the notepad back and sighed. "If anyone we know can   
it'd be JC. No, he's got something else planned. I just don't know   
what exactly. I get the feeling he's going to Tokyo 3, there's   
something he has to do, and it involves NERV somehow."  
Bean nodded. "Well, let's think about something else. Like,   
lunch? Would you mind an escort?"  
Rally looked at Bean then to the papers and shrugged. "What the   
hell, JC can wait." Rally walked out from behind the counter and   
grabbed her blazer. "May! I'm headed out for lunch, probably be back   
in an hour. Handle things will ya?!"  
  
May popped her head out of the bathroom. "Sure thing Ral. Have   
fun. Tell Beanie I said 'hi!'" May giggled and closed the door.  
JC looked at May. "So she's dating Bean Bandit now?"  
May nodded. "Yep. They won't admit it you know, but they are.   
I mean, there have been times when Bean's car is parked outside all   
night, or Rally's not home, or Bean's trying to slip out early in the   
morning. Stuff like that." May placed another bandage on JC's back.   
"Why, jealous?"   
JC looked at his back in the mirror as he thought over what May   
had just told him. May had driven home a point that JC had not thought   
of in almost four years. He was lonely. His reason for coming to   
Chicago wasn't to load up on ammunition, he could have had it imported   
to the island, no his real reason for coming here was now out on a date  
with Bean Bandit. JC looked up at May who was smiling like a child.  
"Yes," he blinked slowly. "Yes, I am a bit. But I'm also happy   
for her. Bean's a good guy, and he'll treat her right." JC smiled   
warmly. "Thanks May, now if you don't mind I'd like to get dressed and  
use the head."  
May giggled as she backed out of the room. She closed the door   
and smiled to herself. "I knew he had the hots for Rally still. I   
wonder if he's still driving that '97 Viper, Rally'd dump Bean in a   
minute to get back in that car." May giggled as she walked behind the   
counter.  
  
  
  
  
  
Frank and JC spent the next few days cruising around Chicago. JC  
usually dropped Frank off at Palwaukee to keep an eye on the Cessna and   
to keep in touch with Billy. After that JC would spend countless hours   
at the mall, sitting in parks, attending outdoor concerts, going   
wherever large numbers of people gathered.  
  
JC sat in a small park as he had since early that morning. He'd   
left Frank with Merv at the airport and was sitting in an outdoor   
concert. A band claiming to be the Smashing Pumpkins was playing a   
free concert that day.  
With little else to do JC had pulled on his trench coat and made   
way for the park. He sat through most of the concert enjoying the   
music, until he noticed something. A large number of couples had   
gathered.  
As he had done all week JC studied the couples, the groups of   
friends, and the loners. In general he was studying the people. He   
knew that if there was something to be gained from human gatherings it   
would be found in study of their behavior and interaction with others.  
  
After an hour of study JC noticed that his pager was vibrating   
madly. As he thought about it the pager had been going for almost ten   
minutes. With a defeated sight JC grabbed the little plastic box and   
read the number on the LCD display. A familiar one.  
"Rally."  
  
  
Rally hung up the phone and grumbled. "Where the hell is he? He  
never USED to miss my calls. If only that ass had given me his   
cellular number." Rally looked at the large boxes sitting in the   
middle of her store.  
Most of it was military issue ammunition. Desert Eagles were not  
the most well known weapons, especially the .50 caliber +P models which  
JC was fond of. Rally had been forced to use Becky to hunt down a   
distributor of the expensive armaments. Becky had found the people   
Rally wanted, but it had cost an arm and a leg to get what JC had   
requested. Rally grinned devilishly at the profit she was going to   
make from this sale.  
  
Rally picked up a small caliber pistol and began affixing pieces   
for the custom job someone had ordered. She had been halfway done when   
JC had made his insane order. Rally sighed and began her work again.  
  
  
JC parked the Jeep outside the shop. He sat behind the wheel   
holding his head for a few minutes. After a few long hard moments the   
Latino exited the car and walked into Gunsmith Cats, his obsidian   
trench coat flapping wildly behind him as he walked.  
  
Rally looked up from the gun she was working on. "Welcome...JC.   
Hi. Your equipment just arrived."  
JC looked at the boxes and nodded. "Thanks. How much do I owe   
you? I mean this stuff obviously isn't cheap."  
Rally smiled. "You're right, its not. Let me ring everything up   
alright?" Rally stepped over to the cash register and began punching   
buttons. "Jace, do you mind if I ask you something?"  
JC was riffling through the ammunition. "You just did." Rally   
gritted her teeth. "No I don't mind." JC picked up one of the   
proximity mines and reviewed the explosive device.  
Rally punched another button. "Why did you come here? I mean   
Eagle ammo can be gotten from Key West, can't it?"  
JC placed the mine down and looked at Rally. "Not since the 2010  
embargo. When Magnum Research took over the Eagle development here in   
the States they refused to ship to the Keys. Even Israel won't send it   
to me anymore. I figured if anyone could find me some good Eagle ammo,   
it'd be my fav gal pal Ral."  
Rally looked at the man. "So...why Eagles? Why not something   
more reliable. How about a 9mm. I mean almost everyone uses 9 mil   
bullets. You're .50 cals are hard to find."  
JC shrugged. "Style babe, style. Plus anything that can blow   
the back of a person's head off from five clicks with a single bullet   
has my immediate respect."  
Rally shook her head. "You always were insane."  
JC shrugged and picked up one of the boxes of the hollow points   
and began sifting through the ammunition. "Takes one to know one." JC   
closed the box and replaced it.  
"Two grand, six-hundred and seventy-five."  
JC looked up. "That's all? Is that just my ammo, or is that the   
explosives included?"  
Rally looked to JC. "I haven't added in the flash bangs and   
shrapnel grenades or the C-6. May is taking care of those. They   
should be in tonight."  
JC smiled and stepped upto the counter. Reaching into his coat   
JC removed a black leather wallet and began counting out assorted   
bills. He placed five five-hundred bills and two hundred dollar bills.  
"Keep the change Ral. Not like I need it. I'll be back tonight for   
the explosives."  
JC walked over to the handcart and wheeled it to the door. Just   
before he was outside Rally placed a hand on his shoulder. "Jace, what   
do you need this kind of gear for? I thought you quit the biz."  
JC looked down at the ammunition. "I did leave the biz. I've   
got a new mission now. I've got some people that I need to protect."  
Rally looked confused. "Protect? Who are you going to protect   
with this stuff?"  
JC inhaled deeply. "My friends. People I left sometime ago. I   
just found out how much they need me, and how much I need them. I know   
that this is the kind of stuff I'd need for a hit or a bounty, but   
believe me I won't be on a job. Not any longer."  
Rally pulled JC around to look at her. She stared deeply into   
his onyx eyes with her piercing blue ones. "Promise me something."  
JC nodded. "If I can."  
Rally glared. "No! I want your promise now. Promise me you'll   
come back. Things haven't been the same since you left. I miss how   
things were when you'd hang out in the shop until I was forced to run   
you off, or the shoot-outs we'd have on the range. I want to do that   
again. So promise me, you'll survive so that we can do that again."  
JC looked into Rally's bright blue eyes and nodded. "I...I   
promise." He sighed.  
Rally grabbed JC's face. "You promise what?!"  
"I promise I'll survive this mission. And when I get back you   
and I will have an old fashioned shoot-out, like the old days."  
Rally smiled. "Good." She hugged JC, not noticing him wince.   
"Get going ya big lug."  
JC smiled as he wheeled the cart out to the Jeep. 'I'll have to   
get Frank to replace my bandages when we get to the hotel.' As soon as   
JC had the ammunition loaded he fired up the Jeep and drove off towards   
the suburbs.  
  
  
  
  
  
A week passed easily for the former assassin. He'd retrieved the   
last of his equipment from Rally and Minnie May. After that he and   
Frank and returned home to Key West. JC spent the rest of his time on   
the phone with Kaji attempting to gain access to Tokyo 3. After four   
days of failed attempts, the young spy gave in and agreed to gain JC   
temporary access to the city.  
JC's new codes and identification had been faxed over a day   
later. The rest of JC's time was spent in acquisition of a vehicle   
that he could take to Japan. That had arrived yesterday  
  
  
  
JC picked up his nylon travel bag as he rested the phone against   
his shoulder. "Come on Corsair. I'm willing to go double what you   
ask." JC picked up a T-shirt and smelled it, grimacing he tossed it   
into the closet. "Look man, it's a one way trip, I swear."  
JC reached into the closet and removed three pair of black denim   
jeans. Folding them in half JC placed them in the travel bag, he then   
placed three black T-shirts on top of them. "C'mon Corsair. I have to   
be in Japan tomorrow. What'll it cost me this time, you know money's   
not an object.  
"Sure, anyone can take me. I don't care who flies, just so long   
as I get there. If Joey's gonna take me he's gonna need a big plane.   
What do you mean how big? C-130 big."  
JC picked up an AR-17 Assault Rifle. He quickly checked the   
magazine and the front snap grenade launcher. As he carried the large   
rifle JC wondered about concealing the weapon. Taking an assault rifle   
into a country that has laws against guns would be hard enough, but   
doing the job JC was planning the AR-17 was almost a foolish thought.   
The young man placed the rifle back down on the counter where he'd   
retrieved it and began looking at his impressive collection of weapons.  
  
JC walked over to his wall of pistols and picked up a Colt six   
shooter. He smiled as he remembered his Stetson in the back of his   
closet. JC replaced the pistol and sifted through his closet in a vain   
search for the old cowboy hat.  
"So come on 'Sair. What's Joey say, will he do it? What do you   
mean what kind of vehicle am I taking? An SUV what else. NO WAY! I   
would NEVER take my Harley to Japan. What are you insane? That's a   
classic 1972 Softtail. Harley doesn't even make parts for it anymore.  
"No, I'm taking an SUV, a BIG one." JC smiled as he found the   
black velvet hat. "Alright. I'll be there in," he looked at his   
watch. "Hmmm...gimme two hours. Okay, see you then."  
JC disconnected his phone and tossed it onto the couch. "Gods, I   
hate the guy." He turned away from the offensive piece of technology   
and returned to his guns. Almost in the middle of the wall lay a   
familiar looking pistol. Without thinking about it JC reached out and   
retrieved the familiar black metal weapon.  
The pistol had been a going away gift from Rally. A CZ-75   
exactly like hers, down to the "cocked and locked" fashion that it hung   
on the wall and was carried in. A gentle grin crossed JC's masculine   
features as he placed the weapon on his bag and went in search of his   
ever limited supply of 9mm ammo.  
  
  
  
  
Corsair was a man in his mid-twenties. He was tall and lean,   
with a crop of blonde hair that made him look almost Scandinavian. He   
was dressed in a well-tailored Armani with Italian patent leather   
shoes, shined to perfection. A thin cigarette hung from his hand as he   
walked around the hanger.  
A large black C-130 sat tethered in the middle of the expansive   
hanger. Three men were carrying a hose to the back to fuel the plane   
for its transcontinental flight in an hour. Along the sides of the   
plane was a roughly sketched half fig leaf with the letters "NERV"   
stenciled above it.  
Corsair watched in rapt fascination as the men went about   
preparing the vehicle for its long flight. Corsair ran the local   
airport. He hated JC for killing his brother, but loved money enough   
to look the other way if the man was proposing a one way flight.   
Corsair knew JC to be a man of his word and if he agreed to refuse   
taking hits against his family again Corsair would easily give the man   
a ride to Japan.  
  
Corsair turned his back on the work and found himself looking at   
a large mass of black body armor and rippling muscle. The person   
before him was so close Corsair could smell the man's cologne.   
'Preferred Stock,' Corsair mentally noted, 'good brand.' Corsair's   
deep blue eyes roamed up the large muscled chest as he took a small   
step backwards.  
All the way up the man saw black. Midnight black all the way to   
the person's face, which was tanned, like that of an island native.  
Corsair only knew of one man that wore black with that complexion.   
"Well if it isn't my client. To what do I owe this early arrival?"  
JC looked down at the shorter man. "I wanted to get a look at my   
ride, and discuss the terms of this little agreement. I don't like you   
Corsair, you don't like me, so let's just get this done with as little   
bloodshed as possible. Agreed?"  
Corsair nodded. "Of course. Follow me to my office?" Corsair   
began to walk towards the unmoving man.  
"I'd prefer we stay out here. Not that I don't trust you, but if   
I have to shoot anyone I'd like to make it to my Humvee before my body   
armor gets TOO dinged up." JC smirked. "You understand, right?"  
Corsair nodded. "Of course I do. A man of your..." Corsair's   
ass kissing was cut off by the hammer of a pistol being pulled back   
under his chin.  
JC's left Eagle was now positioned under Corsair's chin. "Stop   
kissing my ass, I don't like it. I'm going to offer you half a million   
greenbacks to take me and my equipment to Tokyo 3. No questions asked,   
no snooping in my car, and when we get there if ANYONE knows I'm there,   
I kill your pilot and blow your plane to hell. Agreed?"  
Corsair swallowed the lump forming in his throat. Slowly, as not   
to further annoy the man with the gun, he nodded. "Si, si. I agree   
with it all, good terms."  
JC holstered the pistol. "Pleasure doing business with you. As   
soon as that plane is fueled I'll drive my Hummer inside and we can   
part our ways. I know you're dying to get rid of me."  
"in more ways then you know."  
JC looked back at Corsair. "What was that?"  
Corsair looked up into JC's perfectly obsidian eyes. "Huh? Oh,   
nothing. The refuel should be done in an hour."  
JC glared. "Should? I don't do should. I'm on a schedule.   
What time exactly will it be done?"  
Corsair looked at his watch, a gold Rolex. "Um...four. We'll be   
ready to lift off at four."  
JC nodded and turned to the door. "Then I'll be back at 15:50."   
With that said the assassin began towards the door and his dramatic   
exit. "And fix that DAMN logo, the fig leaf is on top!"  
  
  
  
  
The flight to Nagano was easy enough. There were no problems.   
The pilot flew the plane leaving JC alone long enough to prepare all of   
his equipment.  
He arrived in Japan in the middle of the night, which suited the   
former assassin perfectly fine. He took the whole of two days to drive   
to the relic of a city that was Tokyo 3.  
The city had changed so much since he'd last been here. What few  
bearings JC had were shot to hell. JC had spent nearly six hours   
driving aimlessly around in the middle of the night attempting to find   
what he was looking for.  
  
  
  
  
  
Misato sat in her bedroom looking over a file. She wasn't sure   
how long she had been sitting there. She wasn't even aware that she   
was out of beer. Her room, no her apartment had fallen into an eerie   
silence days ago that had lasted until today.  
  
BANG BANG BANG BANG  
  
Misato jumped on her futon. She looked around the room a few   
times looking for what had fallen. That was until she noticed the   
sound had not stopped.  
  
BANG BANG BANG BANG  
  
Jumping to her feet Misato grabbed her service issue pistol and   
exited her room. On the oft chance that someone might be attempting to   
get at Shinji, or herself, Misato wanted to be armed.  
  
KNOCK KNOCK TWAP KNOCK BANG  
  
Misato listened to the sounds against her door. Curiosity, and   
fear, gripped her as the sounds continued. The purple haired Major   
took a deep breath to steady herself. In one fluid motion she threw   
the door back, aimed her gun for a killing shot, and found herself face   
to chest with muscles covered in a black T-shirt.  
Misato took a cautious step back and raised her pistol to the   
chest. Behind the person she could see a green military seabag hit the   
floor, obviously coming off their shoulder. As Misato looked back at   
the body she found herself staring at the ominous black visage before   
her face.  
  
"Kit-Kat-chan. I knew you were pissed at me, but I never   
expected you to pull a gun on me." The man's voice was thick with a   
protruding Spanish accent. Even though it was strong and powerful the   
voice carried a feeling of familiarity and safety.  
  
Misato's eyes scanned the figure before her; tall, dark, ominous,   
and obviously well armed. The man standing in Misato's doorway was   
familiar to a fault. The Major hadn't seen him since he walked out of   
her office, and subsequently her life. Without thought Misato threw   
herself against the large man's chest and began crying. The tears   
quickly soaked through the armored cotton. Gripping the man around his   
chest Misato locked her arms behind his back.  
  
JC looked down at the tear-ridden woman attached to his body. He   
could feel the stitches in his back give out, but didn't worry about   
it. Right now all that mattered was that Misato needed him. JC pried   
the young Japanese woman from his chest and walked her into the kitchen   
of her apartment.  
The Latino sat the woman down and immediately went about boiling   
a pot of tea. JC expertly maneuvered his way through the kitchen and   
in a few minutes had a pair of boiling cups of tea poured out. One for   
Misato and one for himself.  
JC reached out for Misato's hand and gripped it in his gloved   
one. With his other hand he reached out and raised Misato's tear-  
ridden face to his own. "Yes Misato, I am here, and I am alive."  
Misato pulled away from JC and turned from him. "Why are you   
here?" She sniffled. "Did you come back to finish the job. Who's   
next? Me, Rit-chan, Commander Ikari?" Misato turned on the man she   
once called friend. "Oh my god. NO! Someone hired you to kill Shinji   
and Asuka?! How could you?! What kind of monster have you become?!"  
JC reached back and slapped Misato. His gloved hand prevented   
much sound, but its armor plating nearly threw the buxom woman to the   
floor. "Get a hold of yourself Misato! Dammit! I'm not here to kill   
anyone. On the contrary. I'm here to protect the Children, and you."  
  
Misato raised a hand to her stinging cheek. In all the years   
she'd know him, Misato had seen JC hit a female once, and that was in   
self-defense class. She stared in shock at him, not hearing what he'd   
said. She just sat there staring at him holding her stinging cheek.  
  
JC looked at the silent woman before him. Never in his life did   
he think that he could EVER harm Misato, but it was obvious that he was   
capable of doing so. JC fell to his knees beside Misato. "Oh my god.   
Misato, I'm...I'm sorry."  
Misato looked down at the tanned man before her. His black hair   
was slicked back, as usual, except for a few stray strands that always   
seemed to fall between his eyes. His armored T-shirt was a bit   
wrinkled, but not too obvious. His black jeans were pressed, she   
noticed, with a military fashion. She could just barely make out the   
outline of his dual Desert Eagles under his large onyx trench coat.  
Misato reached down as if ready to backhand the larger man,   
instead her fingers gently caressed his face, taking great care as they   
drew across his scar. The white flesh contrasted deeply to his olive   
skin and dark hair and clothes. "It...it's alright. I...I think...I   
think I needed that." Misato smiled weakly as a few strands of deep   
purple hair fell into her line of sight, causing her vision to blur.  
JC smiled as he got up. He could feel the cheap, quick stitching   
losing its integrity on his back. He grinned in an attempt to suppress   
the pain that was threatening to overtake him. "I'm sorry Miso-chan.   
I should have told you why I was in Tokyo the other month. But the   
more people that knew the more risk I ran that Kaji would have been   
captured, rather than safe where he is. Believe me I wanted to tell   
you, but I couldn't stand to think of all the pain I'd be putting you   
and the Children in, so I didn't."  
Misato looked at the man. "Is he alive? Is he going to come   
back?" Misato looked away. "Did he say anything to you?"  
  
JC felt like reaching into his chest and removing his beating   
heart, knowing it would be less painful than what he was doing now.   
After a few moments the freelancer sighed and took Misato's hand in his   
gloved hands. "Kit-Kat. Listen to me, and listen good. I'm only   
gonna say this once alright?" Misato nodded. "Good."  
JC took a deep breath and released it through clenched teeth. He   
could feel the blood seeping out of his back, and knew it would soon   
begin to pool under him. "Misato. Kaji loves you, he never stopped.   
Eight, nine years ago, whatever it was, he was going to ask you to be   
his wife. Kaji is alive; I personally made sure of it. As for coming   
back, I'm not sure. Knowing him, he'll show up when you least expect   
it." JC looked at Misato.  
Misato sat enraptured to what JC was telling her. The man she   
loved was alive, and might be coming back. A tiny smile appeared on   
her worried, but still radiant, features. "Thank you JC. Thank you."  
JC tried to grin. "Don't mention it." He stood up and brushed   
off his gloves. "If you don't mind, I'm gonna grab my bag." With the   
ease of an urban jungle animal JC gracefully made his way to the   
previously discarded bag.  
Misato looked at the man as he searched through the bag. "JC,   
what are you looking for?"  
JC looked up. "Just making sure I didn't pull the pins on any of  
my grenades." He smirked as he closed the bag and leaned it against   
the wall. "I hope you don't mind, but I was hoping you'd let me crash   
on your couch until things begin making sense. I don't like thinking   
that you and the boy, who's shoulders the world's fate rests on, are   
unprotected."  
Misato looked at JC for a moment as she considered what he'd just   
said. "But we are protected. Section Two personnel are watching   
everything Shinji does."  
JC raised a brow. "Oh are they now. Then why didn't they stop   
me when I drove in? Because there's not enough people to do the job   
anymore. Misato, I saw the city, okay. I know what's happened. I   
would not feel right if I didn't do something to help you and Shinji.   
So like it or not I'm going to stay, whether its with you, Rit-chan, or   
in a burnout building...I'm not leaving Tokyo 3 until everyone I know   
is safe."  
Misato looked at the determination on her friend's face and   
sighed. "Jace, there's something you need to know. Commander Ikari   
had Rit-chan arrested not long after you left. Some cheap ass blown-up   
phony charges. So unless you plan on breaking into NERV lockup I think   
you're a little late."  
JC turned and punched a hole in the wall behind him. "DAMN! I   
never did trust Ikari." He looked at Misato. "I'm sorry. This is   
probably my fault. Look Misato, I am going wherever you and Shinji go.   
Think of me as a free bodyguard and personal chef. I'll do what I can   
to pull my weight around this place, but only if you'll let me stay   
here."  
Misato could almost see the pleading look in JC's eyes behind his   
glasses. "You really going to cook?" JC nodded. "Alright, you'll be   
sleeping on the couch, not that that's anything new for you. You've   
probably slept on worse."  
JC smirked. "Try a bed of nails in Istanbul."  
Misato shuddered. "Well Shinji's in his room, doing god knows   
what. I'm going to bed, so the couch is yours my friend."  
"Domo arigoto, Misato-imoto."  
  
JC watched as Misato turned and walked back to her room. His   
eyes followed every motion she made until the door blocked his view.   
Scant seconds passed before JC unholstered one of his Eagles and   
stepped into the hallway.  
JC spent the next half hour surveying the apartment complex he   
would soon be calling home. Simplistic and empty the building made for   
an easy hideout for anyone with low morals or lax funding. Besides a   
few squatters and hobos the building was empty, those still remaining   
were far too afraid of the man with the guns to go anywhere near   
Misato's floor.  
  
  
  
The next few weeks were spent in relative ease. Karou had been   
defeated. Asuka was comatose. Shinji was in emotional turmoil. Rei   
was...no longer Rei, rather she was Ikari's doll again. Misato had   
begun spending her days at NERV attempting to air out all the   
organization's dirty laundry, including JC and Kaji's secrets.  
JC had taken a permanent residence on the living room floor. His   
armored trench coat was always to be found draped across the back of the   
couch. The man himself could usually be found either in the kitchen   
making meals that only he ate fresh and Shinji had when he needed food,   
or sitting on the balcony cleaning his weapons.  
Tokyo 3 had taken beating after beating, each worse than the one   
before it. But the worst beating of all was to come. Not from an   
Angel, but from that which refuses to die, Humans.  
  
  
  
  
JC sat in the bath looking at the water as it emptied from around   
his body. 'Red. A color I hate. Red is hate, red is pain, red is   
blood...red is...' "Death." JC had whispered the word to himself as he   
looked at the latest stigmata to appear on his body.  
The day after he'd arrived in Tokyo 3 his feet began to bleed.   
Holes similar to the ones in his wrists appeared in his upper feet.   
The crown of thorns would soon follow. JC knew his time would soon   
come to an end, and he knew he'd soon break his promise to Rally.  
  
JC stood up in the bath and grabbed a towel. Silently he dried   
his body and prepared to get dressed for another day of protecting the   
Third Child.  
  
  
Shinji lay on his bed listening to his S-Dat player. Bach played   
through the simple device delivering the music directly to the Child.  
"He's still here." Shinji whispered to himself. "He knows   
Misato, I wonder who he is. Maybe he's the man on the answering   
machine." Shinji sighed and tried to sink lower into his futon.  
"I wonder what he'll cook next. I should cook something, but   
why? It won't matter. No one cares about me, no one loves me...not   
anymore...not since..." Shinji began crying again.  
  
JC stood outside Shinji's door as he had everyday since he   
arrived. He was going to invite the young boy to join him for   
breakfast when he heard what Shinji said.  
JC placed his hand against the door, just below the sign, and   
sighed. "Shinji. There are people here for you. I'm here, Misato's   
here, and Asuka...well Asuka will listen." JC leaned against the wall.  
"If you want to talk, I'll be on the balcony. Just come out and   
find me." With that said the former assassin pushed off the wall and   
walked towards the kitchen.  
  
Shinji sat up in the bed. "Asuka will listen. The bitch will   
have to listen to me." For the first time since Karou had died at   
Shinji's hands the pilot of Eva Unit 01 was willing to do something.  
  
JC watched as Shinji stormed out of the apartment, a tiny smirk   
on his face. Already wearing his coat and boots, JC watched the pilot   
leave the apartment. A few seconds later JC followed, locking the room   
behind himself.  
  
  
  
JC stood against the wall in the medical wing. His cell phone   
against his ear as he watched Shinji. Shinji's back was to the man,   
but it was obvious to JC that the boy was not happy with the red head.  
"Yeah. We're in the med-wing. Huh? No, no one knows I'm here.   
Yeah I followed Shinji in using his passcode. What? No he doesn't   
know I'm following him. Kit-Kat, please. I'm a professional. If I   
wanted him to know I was here he'd know.  
"Calm down Kit-Kat. Shit, hold on." JC sidestepped and pushed   
the door behind him open, stepping into an empty room. Through the   
window he could see a slightly less upset Shinji walk by. "Kit ya   
there? Okay. Look Shinji just left Asuka's room. He's probably   
headed back home, so I'll call you when we get there. Later."  
JC pocketed the phone and followed the Third Child. He took a   
glance at Asuka's room and raised a brow. "I wonder what he was doing   
in there." JC turned and saw Shinji slip around the corner, quickly he   
checked that his id was in place along with his fake NERV security   
patches before he followed the boy.  
  
  
The former assassin didn't make it three feet before he fell flat   
on his face. A thin pool of blood began forming under his large form.   
Suddenly the pool began to expand exponentially. Not only had the   
stigmata of the "Crown of Thorns" appear, but the whip lashes crossing   
JC's back had reopened spilling blood across his unconscious form.  
  
  
Misato sat in her car, her arms crossed and resting on the   
steering wheel. She stared at the phone on the seat next to her and   
sighed. She slumped forward and rested her chin against her arms.   
"The Human Instrumentality project will evolve an incomplete army...   
that is the last stage of mankind: artificial evolution. It would be  
an ideal world. This is why the committee wants to use neither Adam   
nor NERV, but EVA." Misato's head jerked up in sudden realization.   
"Its exactly what Kaji-kun said."  
Misato jumped out of her car and made a dash for the nearest   
entrance, she a little more snooping around to do.  
  
  
Silent and alone Shinji wandered the halls of NERV. Those few   
that passed him barely noticed him or gave him a second thought.   
Shinji himself didn't even know where he was or if he had a   
destination. Until he found a staircase.  
A simple staircase, but it provided a place to go unnoticed.   
Silently he walked behind the stairs and sat down under them. He   
pulled his knees up close to his chest, turned on his S-Dat player and   
resigned himself to do nothing.  
  
  
JC jerked up in the bed, and yelled in pain. "What the hell?!"   
His speech had returned to English with a Spanish accent. "Where am   
I?" His head jerked from side to side as he attempted to determine his   
surroundings.  
As if on cue JC screamed again. He could feel the stitches in   
his back being pulled almost to their breaking point. In pain and not   
exactly feeling like arguing JC laid back down and stared up at the   
anesthetic ceiling that stared back at him. The ceiling was winning.   
"An unfamiliar ceiling," JC whispered. "I hate unfamiliar ceilings."  
  
A door opened, allowing a middle-aged man enter. He wore a light   
brown NERV command uniform, his insignia stated that he was NERV   
Security's sub-commander. The man looked at a chart in his hands and   
smiled. "Judas, it has been a while."  
  
JC jumped and rolled off the bed. He landed on his feet in a   
crouched position with the bed between himself and the man. "How do   
you know my name?! The only people that know that name are dead or   
family. So answer my question, how do you know that name?"  
The man smiled slyly. "Or you'll what, kill me? How would you   
go about that when your coat is ten feet away?"  
JC smirked, "Eight feet but who's counting. And you really think   
that all my weapons are in my clothing, then you're a fool. Now who   
are you and how do you know my name?" JC still crouched behind the bed   
in an attempt to use it as a shield, if need be.  
The sub-commander smirked. "I always did like you Judas. Smart   
enough to hide your real name from NERV security, insane enough to use   
our tactics as a freelance assassin, impetuous enough to break into   
NERV for God only knows why, and stupid enough to get caught.  
"As much as I like you Judas, I need some information. As your   
former, and it seems present, commanding officer I demand you answer my   
questions." The man tapped the pad in his hands. "As of one hour ago   
you were drafted and reinstated as a NERV Second Lieutenant."  
JC glared and stood up. "Well Commander Jacobson. It's been   
some time. You want answers, fine. Give me my clothes and I'll tell   
you what you need to know."  
Jacobson nodded and tossed a pile of neatly folded clothing on   
the bed. "Your guns are being held...until we deem them necessary for   
return to you."  
  
JC pulled the hospital gown off and tossed it on the nearby   
chair. Standing naked before his former commanding officer he picked   
up his jeans and began sliding them on. "Well I'd say you're not   
getting any help from me then."  
Jacobson watched as the man tied his boots. "You mean you're   
just going to sit here and watch NERV get attacked?"  
JC smirked as he tied the other boot. "In a sense. There are   
only two reasons I'm here in Tokyo 3. My family."  
Jacobson looked at the man slightly confused. "What are you   
talking about?"  
JC glared at the older man. "You know my real name, you know of   
my last job, then you know what I can do. I'm here for the opposite   
reason. I am here to protect them.  
Jacobson looked shocked. "You're saying that you're not here to   
kill anyone?"  
JC pulled on his T-shirt and pushed past Jacobson. "Not this   
time. I just need to get my weapons so I can do my job." JC picked up   
his armored trench coat and slid it on as if it were a second skin he'd   
worn his whole life.  
Jacobson glared. "Well that's too bad. You have been drafted   
and your weapons confiscated. Now if you wish to work with us,   
then..."  
JC slammed the old man against the wall a small switchblade   
placed under the Sub-Commander's chin. "Don't push me old man. I want   
my guns. I want my explosives. And I want to find Misato."  
Jacobson looked down at the man with the knife, a tiny glint of   
hate in his eyes. "Very well, Lieutenant Judas Crenshaw, your first   
assignment is to report to the Seventh Evangelion cage. Your weapons   
and equipment will be there. I believe you know where that is."  
JC whipped the switchblade back and slid it into his pants. "Of   
course. You do know that if my weapons are not there..."  
Jacobson pulled out a cell phone and hit a single button. "Yes   
this is Jacobson. Bring Lieutenant Crenshaw's equipment to the   
Seventh Eva cage. Good." He closed the phone and pocketed it. "Its   
waiting on you."  
JC smiled and prepared to respond until red lights began   
flashing. "I'll deal with you later." JC released the old man and   
charged down the hall.  
  
  
Misato glared at the computer screen as its contents cleared.   
"They found me!" She grabbed her handgun and stood up prepared to   
protect herself. "No they haven't. It's starting."  
  
  
JC opened the door to the cage to find a man in a tan NERV   
Security uniform standing there holding a MP5K automatic. He leveled   
the weapon at JC who walked upto the man. "Stand down Private. I'm   
Crenshaw. Jacobson said my guns and orders would be waiting here."  
The private aimed the gun at the ground. "Right." The man   
looked at the glare building on JC's face. "Uh, gomen. Sir, your   
weapons are on that shelf over there, they have not been tampered with   
since they were delivered."  
JC walked over to the shelf that the private pointed to. He   
reached out and picked up his holster, still holding his Eagles.   
Drawing the Eagles and CZ-75 he quickly field-stripped and rebuilt the   
guns. Turning on his heal JC fired a 9mm round into the private's   
skull killing him instantly. "Sorry 'bout that kid. I don't like   
loose ends."  
JC removed his coat and slipped into the holster. Picking up the   
CZ-75 and holstering it on his lower back he grabbed the flash-bang,   
the frag, and the proximity grenades and placed them in differing   
pockets in his coat. JC smiled as he removed a proximity grenade and   
affixed it next to the inside door as he exited.  
JC stopped momentarily and grabbed the private's hat and placed   
it on his head to cover the bandages covering his latest stigmata. He   
smirked at the dead body. "Thanks kid." Stuffing the C-6 into a   
pocket JC ran down the hall towards NERV's most epic battle.  
  
  
Misato walked down the main hall leading to the bridge. She was   
releasing her hair from the simple ponytail it had been in. Misato   
held the phone close to her ear and listened to the voice on the other   
end. "We're presently at Stage One Emergency!"  
Misato spoke to the person. "How's your side?"  
"Good Morning. A-801 departed from Tokyo 2 not too long ago."  
"801?" Misato asked.  
"A waiver of legal rights protecting NERV, supported by special   
law..." the voice responded. "...meaning a transfer of control to the   
Japanese government."  
  
  
  
Shinji sat under the stairs holding his knees and listening as   
the music filled his ears. He pushed out all thoughts and sounds   
around him.  
  
  
  
"This is the ultimatum. Yes it is. They're hacking into Magi,   
it's under control." Makoto informed the Major before handing the   
phone over to Maya.  
Maya leaned towards the phone. "Ibuki speaking. Doctor Akagi   
has started work on the defense."  
Maya and Makoto turned and looked at the elevator platform as it   
rose from the floor to reveal Misato standing there with the phone to   
her ear.  
"Ritsuko?" Misato asked with an equally mixed amount of shock   
and confusion.  
  
  
Ritsuko sat inside of the raised Casper unit typing madly at the   
keyboard on her lap.  
"Am I foolish? There's no logic between man and woman." Ritsuko   
stopped typing and raised her glasses and looked at the brain casing   
above her head.  
"Ain't I right..." Ritsuko's gaze landed on the Casper 3 plate   
staring back at her, with its recently fused metal standing out against   
the light metal. Ritsuko ran her hand gently across the surface of the   
plate, stopping at the fused metal. "...mother?"  
  
  
  
  
The twelve SEELE monoliths stood in the circle. Sound Only and   
the corresponding SEELE number were all that could be seen on the   
monoliths.  
  
"Ikari set the protection of 666 on the Magi. Its not easy to   
break." One of the monoliths informed.  
"We have no choice but to cancel occupation of Magi," another   
responded.  
"I wanted to proceed moderately, but I've decided to occupy the   
main facility directly!" SEELE One stated.  
  
  
A man dressed in camouflage hung up the radiophone. "Move out as   
scheduled."  
The man to his immediate right moved off into the brush to spread   
the word.  
  
All through the wooded area people appeared from their hiding   
spots. VTOL craft appeared in the sky as if they'd always been there.  
Tanks, APCs, and Jeeps filled with men all occupied the once empty   
streets of Tokyo 3.  
  
The tanks fired round after round of explosive shells at the   
mountain side over the Geo Front. Flatbed trucks carrying launchers   
fired row after row of Surface to Surface missiles at the target   
effectively destroying the radar stations situated on the mountain.  
  
  
All doors leading into the Geo Front and NERV proper opened   
allowing the JSSDF access to the underground fortress.  
  
  
  
"Digital tunnel sealed."  
"Deliver pathway Number Five is on fire."  
"Fire at the warehouse."  
"Invaders at West Building."  
All the voices melded into one continuous background noise in   
Misato's ears as she looked at the holographic displays before her.   
"The Decoy is entering from the West Building! If their goal is EVA   
they'll attack the pilots!" Misato yelled at the bridge crew, her   
concern for her charges made obvious.  
Misato turned to Makoto. "Have Shinji-kun prepared and ready at   
EVA-01 immediately."  
Makoto turned to his terminal. "Hai."  
Misato stood up and looked at the bridge. "Where's Asuka?"  
Shingeru looked to his commanding officer. "Room 303," he   
informed her quickly.  
"Take her to EVA-02."  
  
Maya pulled away from her console and looked at Misato somewhere   
between shock and anger. "But she's not completely synchronized with   
the Eva!"  
Misato looked out of the corner of her eye at the young   
Lieutenant. "She'll be killed if she stays there. It's better to hide   
her in EVA-02 to protect her."  
Maya watched Misato as she told her this. "Hai." Maya grabbed a   
phone and raised it to her ear. "Have the pilot..."  
Misato looked over Makoto's shoulder. "After getting Asuka into   
EVA move EVA-02 to the underground warehouse. I know they'll find it   
soon, but it's better." Misato turned to look at Shingeru. "Where's   
Rei?"  
  
The long-haired bridge tech typed at his console. "We lost her,   
we cannot ascertain her whereabouts."  
Misato's face grew grim. Her voice lowered and took on a   
completely serious tone. "She may get killed. Hurry!" Misato looked   
at the holographic display of the area outside Tokyo 3. "Damn you JC,   
where are you?" she mumbled silently.  
  
  
Rei floated in a tube of LCL.  
  
  
JC fired a round into an incoming JSSDF operative. The man   
dressed from head to toe in black fell dead before the running   
assassin. JC jumped over the fallen body and continued running.   
"Gotta find Misato."  
JC stopped at a corner and leaned against the wall quickly   
sucking in deep, uneven breaths. He prepared to look around the corner   
when his cellular phone began vibrating. Not wishing to make too much   
noise he removed it and opened the front. "JC here, make it quick," he   
whispered into the phone.  
  
"JC, goddammit where the fuck are you?!" A strong voice yelled   
over the line.  
JC grumbled. "Jacobson? How in fuck's sake did you get my   
cellular? It's unlisted and wired for satellite use, so how'd you get   
my number?" JC continued to whisper.  
"That's not important. Judas, where are you?"  
JC looked around for any sign of his position. That huge   
escalator he'd taken a few minutes ago had destroyed any bearings he   
had forged for himself. His eyes landed on a white directory sign, he   
struggled for a moment before the Kanji fell into place in his   
overtaxed mind. "Ninth floor, about two corridors west of the Silver   
Bell, whatever that is."  
"Dammit JC, you're on the wrong fucking floor. Didn't you get   
your orders?! You were supposed to stay with the guard and protect the   
Eva cages."  
"Screw you Jacobson! I'm not a member of your team anymore. I   
quit years ago, remember? I'm a free agent, and I'm on my way to find   
the Third Child and protect him. If you have a problem with that, then   
too bad." JC slammed the phone closed and placed it back in his coat.  
  
JC took a cautionary glance around the corner before sprinting   
down the hall. He only made it halfway down the hall before things on   
all sides of him began shaking and vibrating. JC knew immediately that   
NERV was under attack, and quickened his pace.  
  
  
  
EVA Unit 02 stood on the launch platform stoic. With a pilot   
unable to synchronize with it the humanoid war machine just stood   
there. The locks released under its feet and the devil red Evangelion   
was fired vertically through the ground.  
  
"EVA-02 has just been launched. Route number 8. Power 70,   
stabilized." Makoto informed Misato.  
"Launch Eva-01 after it, position it within the Geo Front line."  
Misato's command was halted as Shingeru turned to the Major.   
"Don't, the pilot is still..."  
Misato looked at the screen that appeared before her. Shinji was   
sitting with his knees to his chest under the stair well. "What?!"  
  
  
JC stood at the cross-section of two areas and sighed. "Fuck! I   
knew I should have studied the schematics more before coming back to   
Japan. Hell, I don't even know where I am now." JC shrugged and   
turned left. "I've been going right since I left the cage might as   
well try left now."  
  
  
  
"Level 2 sealed. Non-combative troops meet at Route 87." The   
voice commanded over all the intercoms.  
  
Hydraulic drives receded into their housings. Doors slammed   
closed effectively locking down whole corridors. People rode the   
escalators to arrive at their destinations.  
  
  
Gendo and Fuyutsuki occupied their places above the bridge   
watching the commotion. Gendo sat in his usual manner, with his hands   
crossed covering the lower portion of his face. Fuyutsuki stood behind   
and to the side of his former pupil.  
  
"Confirmed: underground Route number 3 destroyed and Warehouse   
number 2 invaded." Makoto's voice informed the bridge.  
  
"They've deployed all their troops gradually." Fuyutsuki   
informed Gendo. "A complete takeover is only a matter of time."  
Commander Ikari stood and looked out over the bridge. "Professor   
Fuyutsuki, please take care of the rest."  
Fuyutsuki watched the bridge as Gendo walked off. "I know. Give   
my regards to Yui-kun."  
  
  
In a parking garage a soldier fired off a bazooka at a pair of   
NERV Security officers. Instantly destroying them and a few nearby   
vehicles. The garage caught fire causing the enclosed area to turn   
into an oversized funeral pyre. The invading troops were silhouetted   
in the fires raging through the complex.  
The black-clad figures rushed past the burning wreckage. Every   
step taking them closer and closer to Central Dogma and their prize.  
  
  
"No response from Group 2. Communication to Calculation Office   
77 cut. Linear Rail 52 destroyed," the voices on the bridge informed   
each other.  
  
Makoto scrolled his monitor as he spoke to Major Katsuragi.   
"They must have had something wrong with their upbringing. They're   
very cruel." He closed his eyes as he looked to another monitor.  
Misato's scowling features only betrayed a fraction of what she   
felt. She spoke quietly to herself all the while thinking of the last   
two men in her life, JC and Shinji. "It's no surprise this would   
happen. No one is trained to kill."  
  
  
A young female officer attempted to move the corpse of an   
associate of hers. The JSSDF forces had shot the man. Her attempts to   
move his body were futile as a soldier stepped into the hall she   
occupied. Without hesitation the soldier fired multiple short round   
bursts into her body.  
The woman dropped her friend and attempted to run down the hall.   
The soldier took aim and fired another burst into her retreating form.   
The woman fell to the ground in a heap.  
Another group of soldiers was aiming a flame thrower into an   
office. Without remorse the men continued pumping deadly flames into   
the room. Even the screams of the dying humans did not stop them.  
JSSDF forces continued their homicidal rampage through the   
facility leaving no one in a NERV uniform alive, as per ordered.  
  
  
"B-Block invaded." A tech yelled into his microphone.   
"Impossible to stop."  
Misato looked down at the screen before her. Octagons and   
triangles showing different blocks and areas of NERV flashed yellow and   
black to red and black.  
"S-Block has been taken. All were shot in the main by-pass,"   
another tech yelled.  
Misato glared at a tech. "Seal off Level 3, all combat troops   
are to be receded. All the pipes and routes leading to Section 803   
will filled with Bakelite."  
Shingeru nodded. "Hai."  
  
  
"Starting Bakelite injection to Section 803," a tech responded.   
The speech was repeated continuously as the operation took place.  
Pipes filled with the deep crimson liquid. The thick liquid   
began emptying out of the pipes onto the floors. Dead bodies lay   
strewn about were picked up by the rushing fluid.  
  
Misato stood on the bridge with her arms crossed watching the   
huge area of 803 as it filled with the deep red liquid. "I hope this   
helps us for a while," she whispered silently.  
Makoto looked up from his phone. "Major Katsuragi, Route 47 was   
destroyed and Group number 3 is unable to proceed forward." He jerked   
around to look at Misato. "If this continues, Shinji-kun's life...!"  
A look of near shock crossed Misato's features.  
  
Shinji sat under the stairs. His head rested on his lap. No   
noise could be heard where he was.  
  
"Tell non-combative troops to avoid close range combat when   
possible." Misato dropped the clip from her pistol and check it. The   
magazine was full, just as JC had told her to carry it. "Our opponents   
are professionals. If they can't get back to Dogma, it's better to   
surrender."  
Misato cocked the pistol and looked to Makoto. She leaned over   
his chair and spoke directly to him. "Gomen, look after things here."  
Makoto nodded. "Hai."  
  
  
  
"Its hopeless. We don't have a reliable system that allows us to   
attack troops." Makoto removed a pistol from his desk. Carefully he   
chambered a round.  
Shingeru crouched before a case and removed an MP3K automatic.   
"All we can do is scare them."  
Makoto looked skeptically at Shingeru. "If they were serious,   
they could take over instantly."  
Shingeru began affixing extra magazines and a scope to the hefty   
gun. "I wonder if the budget reduction for defense systems was planned   
from the start."  
Makoto looked across the bridge. "Maybe."  
  
An explosion rocked the bridge allowing the JSSDF forces access   
to the bridge. The men stormed in firing their weapons at anything in   
the room.  
Makoto looked up and around the room.  
May knelt under her desk covering her head with her hands.  
Shingeru slid across the floor to Maya's side. He held out a   
pistol and placed it in her shaky hands. "Unlock it." Shingeru slid   
up to one knee and cocked his own gun prepared to do battle.  
Maya looked at the gun resting in her hands. "I...I can't   
shoot." she whispered.  
Shingeru looked Maya in the face. "You did it many times in   
training!" he responded angrily.  
Maya looked at her friend in fear. "But they weren't at people!"  
A bullet ricocheted off a wall in the distance  
Shingeru lifted his head and nearly shouted. "Baka! Shoot or   
they'll kill you!"  
  
  
  
Level B-2. Blood seemed to be a common item to be seen on this   
hallway. NERV personnel lay dead and dying in the small walkway.   
Blood covered the floor, blood covered the walls, blood even covered   
the blood.  
"Warehouse Number 2 is in out hands." a voice stated.  
"From Level 2, original Magi hasn't been found yet," a voice   
crackled over a radio.  
"Maruboruju, use heat treatment. It seems very tricky, still   
investigating." another radio voice stated.  
A NERV staffer backed down a hall. Someone was coming towards   
him dressed in all black. A bullet was fired taking off the back of   
the NERV officer's head, and sending a nice spray of blood into the   
hall.  
A JSSDF officer walked upto the dead body and fired two more   
shots into the dead man. Content with his work the man began down the   
hall once more.  
  
*Clap, clap, clap*  
The JSSDF officer turned around. Leaning against the wall stood   
a man of six foot one, dressed from head to toe in casual black attire.   
The officer could easily read the NERV patch sewn onto the man's   
trench coat.  
"Good work boy, three shots, one to the head, one to the neck,   
and one to the heart. I guess they really have been training you all   
much better in recent years." The man pushed off the wall and began   
walking towards the officer, his left hand in his coat pocket.  
"Of course if it had been me... ... it would have been one shot   
one kill. Like this." Like lightning on a summer day, the man whipped   
a large black gun out and fired a single shot into the officer.  
The JSSDF operative fell to the ground. Blood seeped from the   
open wound where his head had been. His face and half of his head were   
gone from the pointblank range of the bullet. The red liquid poured   
forth forming a pool under the dead man.  
JC smiled as he looked at the smoking body before him, and the   
wall behind the body that was slowly catching fire. "And Rally   
wondered why I wanted napalm and hollow point shells." JC's smile   
widened, "Bigger boom."  
The tanned assassin looked around, scratching his head with the   
barrel of his pistol. "Now where the hell is that parking garage?"  
  
  
  
"Upon seeing Eva pilots kill immediately." a female voice spoke   
over the radio. "All troops authorized to shoot unconditionally,   
non-combative included."  
"Yamgihara, attack the underground immediately." a male voice   
commanded.  
  
Shinji crouched under the stairs in the parking garage. His head   
resting against his knees. He didn't even flinch as the sound of a   
bullet ricocheting caught his ears. Nor did he move when running feet   
stopped before him, their owners cocking their automatic weapons   
preparing to kill him.  
  
Three operatives surrounded the Third Child. One of them spoke   
into his comm unit. "Third found, will erase him." His voice was   
mechanical, almost as if he'd been programmed to speak in such tones.  
One of the men placed his service issue side arm to the pilot's   
skull and prepared to fire. "Don't hate me, boy." His voice held no   
remorse, or any feeling at all really.  
Shinji did nothing save sit where he was. At this point the   
young boy felt as if he were to die no one would truly notice nor would   
they care. His assumptions would soon be put to the test.  
From in the darkness a gun was fired causing the man to fall   
over. His partner looked around in shock trying to find the attacker.  
  
Misato came charging into the garage firing blindly at the two   
men still standing. Six bullets flew from her gun, three three-round   
bursts from the men's guns and she was within range. The purple haired   
beauty jumped at the closest man and kicked, sending him up against the   
wall.  
Misato shoulder checked him into the wall and leaned in close as   
she placed her pistol under his chin. "Don't hate me," she mocked in   
an almost sultry voice. She pulled the trigger sending the man's brain   
and blood to the ceiling and the walls.  
Shinji sat with his hands over his head.  
Misato watched as the man fell to the ground dead. "Let's   
go...to EVA-01." She was breathing unevenly as she spoke.  
  
  
Misato knelt over one of the dead men "borrowing" one of the   
radios to listen to the outside situation. She tuned into the all   
bands frequency hoping to find something useful.  
  
"...have control of 'Purple'. No problem with Bakelite   
injection." a voice stated.  
  
Misato listened to the chatter as she mentally ran through what   
she'd just heard. "Not good. They're destroying physical routes   
between Shinji-kun and Eva-01. They're tough."  
Shinji still crouched in his sitting fetal position. "Let's go   
Shinji-kun..."  
Misato half-turned and looked at her young charge. "Decide   
whether you want to run away or go to EVA." Misato growled at her   
charge's lack of response. "Otherwise, you'll have died without having   
accomplished anything."  
Shinji lowered his head farther into his knees and whispered.   
"Help me, Asuka, help me."  
Misato stood up and stared at the boy. "You're relying on women,   
running away, and deception. Indecision is the worst!" Misato was   
yelling now, not too worried about who heard them. She reached over   
and grabbed the young pilot by his arm. "Stand up!"  
Shinji refused to move, causing Misato to forcibly pull him to a   
sitting position. "No, I want to die. I don't want to do anything."   
Meekly he spoke; there was no conviction or strength in his   
words...only defeat.  
Misato attempted a light pull to get the young man standing.   
"Spoiled kid!" She bent over to look him in his face. "You're still   
alive! Don't waste your life by dying!" she demanded.  
Shinji did not move. His young body lay against the cold cement,   
his arm in Misato's grip as she pulled at him.  
  
  
  
The bridge itself was a scene of death. JSSDF, NERV, everyone   
fired at everyone else. From the high-rise over the Magi to the ground   
floor people with guns were shooting at one another.  
  
Fuyutsuki held a phone to his ear and yelled into it. "It   
doesn't matter! Forget it! Give priority to Dogma Terminal."  
  
Makoto and Shingeru stood next to their consoles and fired at the   
JSSDF troops below them. Simultaneously the men fired round after   
deadly round at the invaders.  
The bespectacled man fell to the cold hard floor under his   
terminal and released the magazine in his pistol allowing it to hit the   
ground. Turning his head slightly to the left he could see Shingeru   
sitting on the floor. "Everything was destroyed systematically, but   
they won't do that here."  
Shingeru pushed a full magazine into his MP5K as he leaned   
against the unmoving chair behind him. "They probably want to do it   
all at once. But they probably know the original Magi is below us."  
Makoto peeked over the console he was hiding behind. "They may   
want it taken without scratches."  
Shingeru held his weapon before himself before he replied. "The   
Anti-BC weapons system isn't good. If they use them, we'll be in   
trouble!"  
Maya pulled her knees and head closer, making her body a smaller   
target. Tears could be seen forming in her tightly clenched eyes.  
"An N2 bomb as well," Makoto remarked.  
  
  
At that moment a tiny sliver of light could be seen moving   
through the bright blue sky. Unlike an airplane this object was not   
moving horizontally rather it moved in a vertical path, towards the   
ground directly over Japan.  
The tiny pinprick of light began to grow and expand as it neared   
the ground. Any military otaku near enough would have recognized the   
item as an non-nuclear explosive device. The light sliver slammed into   
the ground with untold force, causing trees, shrubbery, animals, cars,   
pavement, anything remotely touching the ground to shift its position.  
Mere milliseconds later a blinding flash of light, resembling a   
solar flare, burst forth from the object. A shockwave of immense   
proportions accompanied the light. Anything with in an enormous blast   
radius was vaporized by the impending explosion, including all of   
NERV's armor platting directly beneath ground zero.  
  
The explosion ripped its way through NERV's armor plates until   
its path was no longer impeded allowing its full power to exalt itself   
on the Geo Front below. The force of the explosion ripped up the   
ground, it tore buildings from their moorings, the leak's water was   
evaporated, the top of Central Dogma was scorched by the resulting heat   
and power that imposed itself on the immobile structure.  
  
Lighting, consoles, monitors, the main holographic display...all   
things around the Magi shut down. Emergency lights flickered on   
bathing the room in a deep crimson color.  
  
The two male members of the "Bridge Bunnies" crouched behind   
their consoles covering their heads. The explosion effectively   
destroyed any hope the techs may have had of reinforcements and outside   
contacts.  
Shingeru released his head and sat up slightly. "Oh God!"  
Makoto rose from his crouch slightly and looked to his friend.   
"They're not using common sense!"  
  
Fuyutsuki looked out over the damage caused by the N2 device.   
"Foolish," he commented as sunlight streamed in through the gaping hole   
over Central Dogma.  
  
Something, or rather many somethings suddenly interrupted the   
light streaming into the Geo Front. Missiles, hundreds of missiles   
streamed in through the giant hole in the ground. The explosive   
devices did little more that rip up trees and soil as they found   
purchase within the softer ground of the Geo Front.  
  
  
Maya crouched under her console, hands covering her head. "Why   
do they want EVA so much?" she screamed loudly. The emergency lights   
flickered between on and off causing a rather eerie light show that   
would make Pink Floyd happy.  
  
  
  
  
The Eva graveyard. A place of death. A place no human should   
ever have to see. The disgusting scenery passed by in a slow blur as   
Misato and Shinji drove through the underground horror.  
"They're awaiting the Third Impact with the EVA series, not the   
Angels. The Second Impact that occurred fifteen years ago was pre-set   
by human beings. The damage was minimized by making Adam into an   
egg...before the Angels awakened." Misato's voice changed from cold,   
calculating, and informative to a more familiar, motherly tone that   
could keep young boys, and some girls, up til late ours having wet   
dreams.  
"Shinji-kun, we humans and Adam come from Lilith, the source of   
all living creatures...we're the eighteenth Angel. The others were   
possibilities...which had non-human form. It's a sad existence, we   
neglected and rejected each other even though we were human."   
Misato continued to speak as she drove her voice betraying her   
worry and fear for her young charge as she spoke. The purple haired   
NERV official turned to look at the boy who had become, for all intents   
and purposes, her son. The boy sat as he had for most of the day, his   
head down resting against his knees, effectively ignoring any of the   
outside world.  
"Listen, Shinji-kun. Destroy all of the EVA series. It's the   
only way for us to survive.  
  
  
JC stood in the underground parking garage. Three dead JSSDF   
operatives, a smashed radio, an empty magazine, and at least thirty   
empty slugs were the only things obvious to the former killer. He took   
note that not all of the slugs were from the dead men's automatic   
rifles, many of them were from a small caliber service issue weapon.  
JC pulled his armored overcoat closed and walked deeper into the   
shadows leading back into NERV proper. "Good work Misato, very good."  
  
  
  
Light streamed down from the vast crater above Central Dogma.   
The light was blinding to those not expecting it.  
  
"Heat at the upper level has calmed down," a voice informed.  
  
The light streamed onto the pyramid and dead trees surrounding   
it. The once great underground headquarters of NERV now resembled a   
weather-beaten relic of ancient Egypt.  
  
"No problem with high pressure steam," the voice continued. "All   
troops have completed their positioning of the area."  
  
  
At that moment on one of the many hills surrounding the Tokyo 3   
area ebony clad troops waited for their orders. Hundreds of troops   
prepared for battle awaited the single word that would allow them to   
attack along side their fellow compatriots.  
"Presently Dogma Level 3 and 'Purple' are under control."  
A grizzled old man dress in matching black looked through a pair   
of binoculars at the destruction being caused. "How about 'Red'?"  
A young officer listened to his radio for a moment before   
replying. "Discovered underwater, depth 702 in Shite Lake. It's   
unknown if the pilot's alive or not."  
  
  
  
Asuka hung upside down in her plug. LCL circulated around her   
causing a very relaxed atmosphere in the entry plug.  
Slowly Asuka's head began to move. Her eyes timidly opened as if   
some great weight lay upon them. Cautiously she took a gentle breath   
of the amber liquid surrounding her.  
Still inverted the now awake pilot looked around at her   
surroundings quickly taking in that she was alive and well inside her   
gratuitously destructive war machine.  
"I'm alive," the young girl murmured.  
  
  
Row after row after row of large cylindrical devices were fired   
from their stationary launchers on land at the expansive Shite Lake.   
The silver metal objects caused great splashes as they hit the water   
and began their slow trek to the bottom.  
One by one the object sank lower and lower until they reached   
their desired depths, the area surrounding the red behemoth known as   
EVA Unit 02. In the order they sank the objects also exploded causing   
shockwaves a plenty to shake the waters.  
  
The outside of the mecha was bombarded by depth charges, while   
the pilot inside was bombarded by wave after wave of pain, anguish, and   
shockwaves causing the young woman inside to lose her seat a few times   
as she was thrown around the entry plug's innards.   
Asuka screams wretched from her lips as a depth charge struck the   
side of Unit 02's head and detonated. The fiery pilot convulsed in   
pain as the depth charge exploded. As the charges continued Asuka   
curled into a sitting fetal position and cried.  
The lighting inside the plug fluctuated between bright bursts of   
white light and blinding darkness. Asuka held her knees close as she   
whispered the words, "I don't want to die" over and over to herself.   
All the while her Eva was rocked by explosion after deafening   
explosion.  
  
"Live on..." the words were quiet, comforting. They seemed to   
come from nowhere. But they did not interrupt Asuka's rant. "I don't   
want to die."  
"I won't let you die." The voice speaking was calm and soft. It   
spoke to the young German girl in a comforting manner. "Live   
strong..." the words spoke of an urging tone. "Live honest..." this   
time the voice seemed to comfort and urge the young pilot, even if it   
did nothing to stop her repetitive speech.  
"Don't die..." the voice demanded. "Live on...I won't let you   
die...Live strong...Live honest..." the words blurred into a single   
sentence. They succeeded in calming the pilot's speech and slowing her   
down, but she did not stop.  
"Live on! I won't let you die!" The voice just continued to   
repeat itself. Its words becoming stronger in the young girl's ears.   
They did not slow nor did they become harsh. The speech only grew more   
intense in its emotions.  
  
"I don't want to die!" Asuka screamed to the nothingness   
surrounding her. Flashes of her childhood came searing into Asuka's   
mind. All at once until they became nothing more than a great blinding   
white light.  
  
A young Asuka stood holding her hands out as if for reaching for   
someone. "Mamma, you're here." Young Asuka's hand reached out for the   
light. The child's hand connected with something solid and was slowly   
and gently pulled into the light. Young Asuka did not resist.  
Asuka's bright blue eyes slowly opened in a realization even she   
did not expect. "Momma!"  
  
  
A destroyer lazily floated on the lake outside the NERV pyramid.   
A great screeching sound could be heard coming from everywhere.   
Seconds later the destroyer was engulfed in an intense scarlet beam of   
light that seemed to emanate from the lake, directly beneath the ship.  
The beam ripped through the ship and into the sky, illuminating   
everything in sight with a pinkish-red hue. The beam continued high   
into the sky until its vertical assent halted and the horizontal   
expansion began.  
In mere milliseconds the pink/red beam of light had become a   
multi-kilometer tall red cross emanating from within the lake.  
  
Troops, stationed on the ground, capable of seeing the cross were   
frightened. "W...What?" one asked in fear. "Did we do it?" another   
queered from next to the first.  
  
Miraculously the destroyer began rising from the water. Slowly   
as if it were being lifted the boat began to rise higher and higher   
into the air. In mere seconds the destroyer was out of the water, its   
sides still draining the remaining H2O from its hull.  
Beneath the oceangoing vehicle stood a red behemoth. Like a   
demon rising from the depths of Hell, Unit 02 rose from the water. Its   
eyes glowing with renewed fires of vengeance.  
The red devil stood in the lake with the broken ship in its   
hands, holding it above it head.  
  
The ground troops fired off missiles at the demonic mecha, in a   
vain attempt to attack and damage it. Unit 02 turned its head to the   
offending missiles, in response it tilted the destroyer and used it as   
a makeshift shield. The missiles connected to the destroyer's deck,   
obliterating the ship's upper hull.  
Asuka screamed in anger at the attack. Bullets and large caliber   
shells were zipping past the Evangelion, doing little damage but   
pissing the pilot off easily. In response Asuka heaved the useless and   
broken ship at the ground forces.   
The boat landed directly upon the offending forces, effectively   
destroying them and quieting attackers.  
  
  
Asuka smiled to herself as she saw the weapons explode. "Momma!   
Momma! I understand..." The Eva was suddenly struck by incoming   
missiles and shells. "...the meaning of the AT Field!" Asuka grit her   
teeth and prepared for the next stage of the attack.  
"Its been protecting me!" Asuka smiled as her Eva fell from the   
sky watching the incoming projectiles as the exploded on the mecha's AT   
Field. Asuka beamed as another missile was fired at her. "It's been   
watching over me!"  
  
The red giant landed on its oversized Reebok's with a resounding   
crash that ripped up kilometers of cement and asphalt. The Eva's   
umbilical cord landed destroying its own length in trees, cement,   
asphalt, and buildings.  
Asuka didn't even notice the missile until it had imbedded itself   
into the Evangelion's head. The missile crumpled as its motion was   
abruptly stopped by the mecha. In a maneuver resembling the Third   
Angel, Asuka swung her fist out and punched another missile.  
The pair of destroyed explosives detonated, surrounding the Eva   
in a growing ball of flames. Not wanting to be outdone the Eva jumped   
forward, undamaged.  
"For a long, long time, it's been with me momma!" Asuka looked   
to the sky as if she were speaking with the heavens. Standing tall   
Unit 02's eyes began glowing an eerie white.  
  
  
  
  
JC looked at the destruction outside and whistled. He'd heard   
the Evangelions were dangerous. But he had never seen the extent of   
what they could do. As he watched Unit 02 take the full brunt of the   
explosion. "If that thing survives I swear I'm gonna quit drinkin'."  
JC watched as the smoke cleared and the Evangelion stood   
undamaged in the open ground. "That's it." JC removed a flask from   
his coat and threw it into the air. In a single easy motion he fired a   
9mm round through the flask and turned his back. The former assassin   
was headed down the hall before the expensive silver container hit the   
ground.  
"I swear I'm gonna find Misato. We need to have a talk, soon!"  
  
  
  
The SEELE camber was dark. The twelve monoliths sat in a circle   
facing each other. Sound only appeared on the monoliths.  
  
"Eva has become a burden again." SELEE One informed. "Poison   
should be discharged by the same poison."  
  
  
Above Tokyo 3, nine stealth carriers flew to their destination.   
Under the fuselage of each plane was a large white liquid-like object.  
As one the nine objects partially removed themselves from their   
designated carrier allowing a long red cylindrical object to insert   
itself into its corresponding body.  
The moment the dummy plugs were inserted each of the liquid-like   
Evas unfolded their bodies. Seconds later the nine white Evangelions   
released themselves from the carriers and began to fall to the Earth.  
A few kilometers from the planes the nine Evas unfolded their   
wings and began a controlled descent that was aimed directly at the   
whole in the ground.  
The white Evas began circling the giant hole; they resembled a   
pack of giant vultures circling their prey.  
  
  
  
Misato dragged Shinji through the halls of NERV. Emergency Route   
20 lay before them awaiting their use. Misato stopped momentarily to   
look at the sign above her reading Emergency Route 20. "This is it."   
The moment didn't last long.  
JSSDF troops began firing at the purple haired Major and her   
young charge. Bullets streamed by in an endless sea of hellfire.   
Misato momentarily released Shinji as she attempted to cover her head.  
That moment didn't last long as the shots got closer to the pair.   
Misato reached out and grabbed Shinji dragging him through the access   
hatch. Seconds before the pair entered the emergency route a stray   
shot caught Misato on her left side, ripping flesh from her body.   
Groggily she led her charge to safety.  
  
The second the emergency doors closed behind Misato and Shinji   
they exploded. Any chance of being followed seemed gone.  
  
"The target has escaped," one of the troops spoke into his radio.  
"Failed to eliminate target." Another informed anyone listening.   
"Respond if we should pursue."  
"Unnecessary, that area will be bombed. Return immediately."  
"Roger." The first responded.  
  
  
A former NERV employee yanked his stolen headset radio off and   
looked at the troops above him. Three years did nothing to improve   
stealth and deniability with the Japanese government.  
JC watched Misato escape through the emergency hatch and grinned.   
"Good move love, good move." The former assassin raised his Eagles and   
quickly began plucking enemy agents off as if they were stationary   
targets used for target practice.  
After a minute the enemy troops were either on fire from the   
napalm bullets, melting into puddles from the acid shots, or praying   
for a less painful death from the mercury and hollow tip shells they'd   
been hit with. JC admired his handiwork before he holstered his   
weapons and began pilfering the enemies ammunition.  
"It's a good thing everyone and their brother uses 9mm for side   
arms. If not, I'd be screwed." JC smiled as he pocketed a full   
magazine in his coat.  
  
  
Shinji looked down at his guardian almost in shock. This woman   
had been strong for him. She'd taken him in when no one else wanted   
him. She'd loved him like a mother. And now she leaned against a wall   
bleeding to death before his very eyes, and he could do nothing to stop   
it.  
  
Misato held her side as her crimson lifeblood seeped out. "As   
long as we're in here, a bit of time is all right." Misato's breathing   
was labored as she moved her head to look at the young boy beside her.  
Misato smiled and attempted to stand. "Don't worry. It's not bad."   
Hey body betrayed her words as she attempted to stand, but could only   
master a bent over hunch.  
Slightly resembling the old Jet Alone, Misato lumbered forward to   
the boy she almost considered a son. She used the wall as a balance as   
she keyed in a code on the elevator keypad next to her. The doors flew   
open allowing access.  
"The power is on. It'll work." Misato's words seemed weak and   
slightly labored.  
  
In a single movement Misato turned and straddled her body over   
Shinji's. She used her arms to hold on to the elevator's gates as a   
balance to counteract the dizziness she was feeling and to stabilize   
herself so she didn't fall over on top of the young pilot.  
Shinji's eyes were drawn to the bloody hand at the side of his   
head. He ignored the fact that Misato, a beautiful woman that cared   
greatly for him, was standing a mere arm's length away. His resolution   
died and the boy lowered his face to look at the floor.  
Misato's beautiful face was a mix of concern and anger as she   
looked at the young man before her. Gently she spoke to him, even if   
he didn't care he would listen. "Listen, Shinji-kun. You're on your   
own from this point. Decide for yourself, with no help."  
Shinji continued to stare at the ground. It seemed as if nothing   
would drag him from his sorrow. "I can't do it...I can't...pilot EVA   
to harm and kill people? I believed that I had no choice to pilot   
EVA...but that was just a deception. I don't have any values to pilot   
EVA...sine I don't know anything. There's nothing I can do to help   
anyone."   
Shinji's sorrow grew, as did the tears that threatened to fall   
from his radiant sapphire blue eyes. "I was cruel to Asuka. I killed   
Karou-kun. I don't have a bit of the word 'kindness'." The tempo of   
his voice grew in strength and anger as he spoke. "I'm dishonest, a   
coward, and I always hurt people, it's better that I don't do   
anything!" With an unsure strength the boy gripped the wire fence   
behind himself as he spoke.  
  
Misato grew more compassionate as she listened to her charge.   
Now she wished that she'd listened to JC when he told her to sit and   
talk with the boy. She knew JC had tried, and he didn't know any of   
what had been happening.  
"I'm not going to empathize with you. If you don't want to get   
hurt, die doing nothing." The tears threatening to erupt from Shinji   
slowly seeped from his tightly closed eyes.  
"Nothing will change if you cry..." Misato stared at the boy   
before her. "You don't like yourself, do you? That's the reason you   
hurt others. You know hurting others is more painful than hurting   
yourself. Your remorse is the result of your decision... which does   
have value.  
"Shinji-kun, that's who you are." Misato's anger faded as she   
spoke to the young man before her. "Don't deceive yourself about what   
you can do and beg forgiveness for your mistakes."  
  
Shinji still refused to look Misato in the face as she spoke.   
When the words escaped from his own lips he still could not face the   
woman before him. "Misato-san, you're one of them! You don't   
understand what I feel!"  
Fed up with the boy's continued self-degeneration, Misato grabbed   
the boy and forced him against the mesh behind him. Angrily she yelled   
back at the pilot. "What's wrong with being 'one of them'? Are you   
going to stop doing everything? If you stop doing everything now..."   
Misato's anger ebbed and slowly turned into tears.  
"I'll never forgive you!" The purple haired Major's hands moved   
from her charge's shoulder to grip his face, causing his to look her   
directly in the eyes. "For the rest of my life! You're not perfect.   
People find later what they did wrong and beg forgiveness."  
Misato's anger was all but forgotten as her voice betrayed the   
sadness that she felt. She knew tears would soon being to pour forth   
from her eyes. "I've repeated that. I've loved myself and hated   
myself again and again. But every time, I believed I got better.   
Shinji-kun, pilot EVA again and finish it.  
"Find the answer to why you exist. Find the answer to why you   
came here." Misato reached around her neck and removed her cross.   
"And when you're finished, come back." She placed the cross in   
Shinji's hands. "Promise me."  
Shinji looked away from Misato, again finding the ground quite   
interesting. With a tiny gulp he nodded. His eyes closed as his head   
moved up and down.  
Misato gave the boy a tiny smile. "Have a good time."  
  
Slowly the older woman moved her head down closer to Shinji's.   
The mesh cage rattled loudly as Shinji momentarily attempted to escape   
his guardian's advances, but his attempts were futile as she gently   
placed her hands against the sides of his face. Misato's soft lips   
gently came down to cover his.  
Seconds ticked by as the pair's mouths entwined in a kiss that   
could only be reserved for the closest of friends or the most reserved   
lovers. Stoic, Shinji stood there enjoying the kiss...while Misato   
expertly stooped down to a more enjoyable height.  
Misato released her charge and stepped back allowing Shinji to   
look her in the face. "It's an adult kiss." Misato's hands had since   
returned to Shinji's shoulders as she stared into his deep blue eyes.   
"Let's do the rest when you come back." Her voice was neither sultry   
nor sexy, Misato spoke in a tone of love...an emotion almost alien to   
the pair of housemates.  
As the boy was distracted Misato reached over and pushed the   
switch, allowing the mesh to disappear. Shinji stumbled as he fell   
through into the elevator, which immediately began moving. With   
nothing better to do, Shinji returned to his fetal position and cried.  
  
  
  
Lilith hung crucified on the enormous red cross in the lake of   
LCL. Two figures stood before her, one Ikari Gendo and one Ayanami   
Rei. Silently they stood before Lilith, watching the Angel as it   
watched them.  
With the seven eyes of SEELE staring back at them the pair moved   
away from Lilith.  
  
Ritsuko sat at the edge of the LCL lake. Silently she sat there   
waiting for the Commander and his doll to near her. "I waited for   
you." The blonde doctor slowly stood and turned to her former lover.   
Her right hand in the pocket of her lab coat clutched an unfamiliar   
weapon.  
Weakly she lifted the pistol and took aim at the two people   
standing before her. "Gomen-nasi. I secretly changed Magi's program a   
little while ago. This is your daughter's last request. Please die   
with me... mother..."  
The doctor's left hand, still in her coat pocket, gently pressed   
a button, the click audible. Ritsuko's eyes closed as she tilted her   
blonde head back slightly. After a moment a realization struck her,   
and her eyes flew open. "It didn't work. Why?" Quickly Ritsuko   
withdrew a plamtop and examined its screen.  
The screen showing the three sides of the Magi were illuminated.   
On Casper's portion the signs for "Negative" appeared. Shocked Ritsuko   
drew back slightly. "Casper betrayed me! Mother, you chose him   
instead of your daughter!"  
In retaliation to the doctor's impudence, Ikari elevated his own   
weapon to aim at the doctor. "Akagi Ritsuko-kun, honestly..." the man   
whispered a few words that seemed to give Ritsuko some form of comfort   
as the fear receded from her features. A single shot was fired, and   
Ritsuko Akagi was falling to her death.  
As she fell a single image occupied Ritsuko's view. Ayanami Rei   
floated in midair. Floating face down in a lake of LCL was the last   
thought that occupied the mind of the polymath genius.  
  
  
  
A NERV coffee mug lay smashed in a pile of spent shells. Makoto   
peered out from behind his chair as he yelled to his comrades. "What's   
the situation out there?"  
Maya read off the information that scrolled down her computer.   
"The time remaining is less than a minute. At this rate, Asuka   
will..."  
  
Shinji sat on the catwalk, his head on his knees. In the   
background he could hear Asuka's crazed screams. "I'll definitely win!   
Momma is watching me!"  
"Momma...Momma..." the simple words a child says so often.   
Shinji spoke them as if in defeat.  
  
  
Maya looked over her screen, the information on it was not   
pleasing. "The Inner Engine System has stopped. The end of mobility.   
EVA-02 is silent."  
The other two members of the main bridge staff turned to look at   
Maya, shock and fear covered their faces.  
Maya's voice was suddenly filled with surprise. "Nani? The EVA   
series that was destroyed..."  
  
All across the Tokyo Three landscape, nine white Evangelions   
slowly and methodically began repairing themselves. Missing body parts   
began regenerating, holes gouged into the bodies began filling in with   
liquid flesh...a rather disgusting sight for anyone watching.  
  
  
  
  
Misato lay against the cold metal wall where she'd left Shinji.   
Silence permeated from within the hallway. Nothing moved in the long   
black hallway. For the first time in ages Misato finally felt   
comfortable in the darkness.  
  
JC leaned against the wall and grumbled. "I know this is the   
right direction. That asshole, Jacobson better not have fucked me over   
on those directions. I'll kill him if he did...hell I'll probably kill   
him anyway." The former assassin took a deep breath and pushed off the   
wall turning down the hall.  
Obsidian covered eyes met vibrant, tear ridden chocolate eyes, a   
distance of a hundred meters separated the two people. That distance   
was quickly closed as the Latino man ran towards the bleeding form   
before him.  
  
Misato could hear a voice down the hall. The echo it caused was   
painful in her head. Not wishing to take a chance the Major of Special   
Operations removed her side arm and readied it to fire at the voice's   
owner, whomever it may be. Misato watched as the figure's shadow moved   
to block the light coming down the hall.  
Silently their eyes met in an exchange that spoke volumes.   
Misato lowered her weapon and gave the figure a tiny smile. "Some   
Judas you turned out to be. Shinji-kun's gone; he's with Unit-01 now.   
All that's left is a dying woman."  
  
JC kneeled before Misato and smiled. "Hey gorgeous. I'm not   
worried about Shinji-san. I was worried about you. I'd never forgive   
myself if either of us died without the other around."  
Misato's smiled widened as her friend reached down and wrapped   
his arms around her. "Jace, don't. Leave me, I'm not going   
anywhere...not now..."  
JC looked down upon the violet vixen in his arms and gave her a   
curious look. "Huh? C'mon. Is this the same woman that drank a   
former bartender to the ground two years straight? Misato, don't give   
me this hero shit it doesn't suit you. Now get up, we're gonna get you   
to the med wing."  
Without so much as straining, Misato reached up and slapped her   
Latin friend. "God dammit JC, for once in your life listen to someone   
else. I'm dying."  
JC removed his arms from Misato and dropped to the floor. "Gomen   
Kit Kat." The Latino psycho leaned up against the wall next to Misato   
and sighed. "I just noticed something."  
Misato looked at her friend. "What's that?"  
"This is the first time in years we've been alone like this." JC   
turned his attention to the woman by his side. "You know what I mean.   
It's been almost ten years since we spent any time together where we   
weren't drinking, drunk, or planning on drinking."  
Weakly Misato nodded. "You're right." Misato inhaled sharply as   
she attempted to repress a tear.  
  
Turning his full attention to the woman by his side, JC stood and   
removed his trench coat. Silently he draped the heavily armored object   
over Misato's shoulders.  
The former assassin leaned into the cold steel wall and sighed.   
"I missed you Misato. I just wanted you to know that."  
"I missed you too JC." Misato's voice was trembling.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
At the Gunsmith Cats shop Rally Vincent sat behind the counter   
reviewing her quarterly books. Minnie May Hopkins walked around the   
room doing inventory.  
  
May stopped her inventory and sighed. Her large green eyes   
drifted over to Rally, who was staring intently at her books. May   
blinked a few times before walking across the room.  
"Rally," she asked softly. "We need to talk."  
Rally waved a hand at May. "Later May. I need to finish the   
books right now."  
May gently placed her hand on the open book, effectively stopping   
her partner. "No Rally. We need to talk, now. Its about JC."  
The brunette woman stared at her young friend curiously. "What   
about him? He's off in Japan doing business. We both know that."  
May shook her head, causing her short blonde hair to whip around   
slightly. "Not what I meant Ral. When JC was here something happened,   
something important."  
Rally closed her books and turned her full attention to her   
friend. "Okay, May, you have my attention. What happened while he was   
here?"  
Minnie May leaned against the counter and gripped her friend's   
hand, causing Rally to look at her suspiciously. "Rally. JC's dying.   
Don't say anything, please. He showed me something that has got to be   
the most scary thing I've ever seen. How much do you remember from   
church?"   
Rally looked surprised at her friend's question. "Not much."  
May nodded. "Same here, that was until JC returned. I did some   
research on what he showed me." May took a deep breath and slowly   
released it. "Rally, he's got the stigmata. Holes in his wrists,   
feet, side, forehead, and lacerations on his back. I saw his wrists   
and back Rally. This is for real. I dressed his back wounds when he   
showed up."  
Rally closed her eyes as something struck her memory. JC had   
flinched when she'd hugged him. He'd never done that before. Rally   
opened her eyes and looked at her partner, a small tear forming in her   
eyes.  
Minnie May reached out, took her friend's hand, and held tightly.   
"I'm sorry Rally. He didn't want you to know, because you'd worry   
about him."  
Rally began sniffling. "I made him promise me. I had him   
promise he'd come back. Oh God, May. He's going to break his promise.   
He's never broken a promise." Rally's tears finally formed, and tore   
through the strong woman's defenses.  
Silently May walked around the counter and hugged her friend.   
"It's okay Rally. We both knew this day would come. He was always   
close to the grave."  
  
  
  
JC lifted his arms over his head, causing his shoulders to crack.   
Grunting the Latin man lowered his arms. "Misato, you still with me?"  
A small tired grunt came from the assassin's side. Misato was   
lying on the floor curled up under JC's trench coat. A tiny pool of   
congealed blood lay under her.  
JC shook his head knowing that Misato had lost consciousness   
almost a half hour ago. Shaking his head JC reached up and removed the   
bandanna he had wrapped around his head to slow the loss of blood from   
the second to last stigmata.  
The young assassin lowered the bandanna into his lap. The white   
fabric was stained all the way through with dried crimson, that no   
matter how often he'd seen it he'd know it. JC looked at the dried   
blood on his bandanna and sighed. "This is wrong. I'm comforted by my   
own blood." He placed the bandanna off to the side and laid his head   
on the wall. "Or am I comforted by my coming death?"  
  
JC's answer was swift in coming. Down the hall stood a young   
girl of fourteen years of age. She was petite with unruly lavender   
blue hair cut short around her face. He blood red eyes seemed to shine   
in the surrounding darkness. But her most distinguishing feature was   
the apparition-like form her body took on.  
Slowly the young woman closed the distance. Her feet did not   
touch the floor as she walked. Like a specter she floated down the   
hall towards the thirty-something couple lying on the floor.  
  
JC slouched into the wall. He could feel his recently bandaged   
back, the stitches the doctors had placed in him were useless against   
divinity. "Men playing God. This is what gets people in trouble." JC   
snickered as he looked at the door beside him. "'God's in his Heaven   
and all's right with the world,' my ass."  
  
The ethereal form of Ayanami Rei stood a few meters from the man   
she knew to be Judas Crenshaw. She also knew that her present from   
would no doubt be useless in moving him through Instrumentality. The   
young girl's form shifted in the blink of an eye.  
Rei's form was replaced with that of a young Asian woman in her   
mid-twenties. Her long aquamarine hair was braided down her back. She   
stood silently in a familiar black NERV Security uniform. Her ebony   
eyes gleamed in the hazy fluorescent light from above. Kirishima   
Kiyone stood in the hall, like a ghost risen from the grave.  
  
JC removed his infrared/night-vision-mirrored sunglasses, and   
placed them in his pocket. Silently the Key West native rubbed the   
bridge of his nose, massaging the strenuous muscles around his eyes.   
Restlessly JC pulled one of his Eagles from its holster and began   
checking its ammunition level when he felt a presence near him.  
With reflexes honed from 32 years of near-death experiences the   
former NERV Lieutenant whipped his pistol around and aimed it at the   
apparition. JC's anger and distrust were quickly replace by fear and   
shock as he looked into the eyes of the ghost.  
"Ki-chan?" The large pistol took aim at the specter. "I don't   
know what you are, but if you don't lose that face I swear to anything   
holy that I'll empty this clip into you!"  
The phantom said nothing as it closed the distance between itself   
and the insane man. A twinge of pity could be seen in the woman's   
eyes. She knew the pain that this man felt. She could see it in his   
deep, ominous orbs that looked through her.  
Still the ghost-woman neared. She had nothing to fear from this   
man, he had only to fear her. The man began firing at her, this was   
not unexpected as his answer to much was violence.  
  
JC began unloading the magazine of death at the coming specter of   
his dead lover. Fiery, acidic death rained out from the weapon, having   
no effect on the reflection of the long dead woman. Her aquamarine   
hair did not catch fire as the napalm bullets sailed through her long   
tresses. Her chest did not cave in as the explosive shells ripped   
through her form. Her head did not explode nor melt as the ammunition   
rent holes in her spirit body.  
The man finally gave in and fell to his knees. He could feel all   
of the stigmata burn in his dying body as his knees hit the cold steel   
floor. Salty tears rained down the man's face as he hid from the woman   
nearing him. She held the face of one that meant so much to him, had   
done so much for him, had changed him...and had caused his death so   
many years ago with her own death.  
Judas could feel the gentle touch of the apparition as its   
pallid skin glided over his scarred cheek. He could feel the woman's   
tiny, delicate fingers as they traced the shrapnel scar from the bottom   
of his left, eye down his neck, and into his shirt. JC looked up with   
tear-ridden eyes; black met black as a tiny smile crept over JC's stone   
features.  
"I understand." He nodded slightly as he closed his eyes. "I   
understand it all. Thank you Lilith. I guess I can't keep that   
promise to Rally...too bad." JC took a deep calming breath that he   
slowly released. "Hold on Ki-chan, I'm finally comin' home." The   
former assassin lowered his head and awaited his final moments. He was   
not disappointed as "Kiyone's" hand traced his face, finally resting on   
his lips.  
The Kiyone-ghost knelt over and placed her lips to the man's.   
She could tell he was smiling as his Ego-border dissipated, as his own   
AT-Field shut down, and the former killer drifted into the world of LCL   
that would soon encompass every living being on Terra.  
  
  
  
  
Earth, the third planet in the Sol System. It has one moon, two   
if you count the Black Moon that encompasses the Geo Front. Terra has   
a population that exceeds its resources.  
Today that population is going to receive a sever wake up call.  
  
A single boy has been charged with the fate of the human race.   
He was given this choice not by those controlling him, not by his   
father, not by his mother, not by God, not by the Angels...but by his   
own choices.  
Ikari Shinji, Pilot of Evangelion Unit 01, sat in his entry plug.   
It had come down to his decision of what would happen to the human   
race. Not an easy task for a young boy, not an easy task for anyone.  
Shinji knew that at this point all Humans had finally returned   
home. They had finally returned to Lilith. An LCL lake had formed in   
the city that was once known as Tokyo 3.  
  
Unit 01 lowered to the ground. Its cocoon of light was gone and   
replaced by the familiar purple and green armor of the war machine.   
Ikari Shinji lay unconscious at the edge of the orange-yellow lake of   
LCL. He could hear the waves gently crashing against the beach.  
Slowly, he opened his eyes. The red, overcast sky gleamed down   
upon the boy. Weakly Shinji pulled himself up to look at his   
surroundings. The world he knew was gone and replaced by...This.  
  
Shinji looked around the beach for something familiar, something   
he could clutch onto and remember the world he once knew. He found   
what he was looking for. It was down the beach a few meters. The   
shape was bright red with splotches of white, and it was unmoving.  
The young boy knew exactly what the shape was and knew exactly   
how to deal with it. With a confidant stride Ikari Shinji neared his   
fallen pilot and fell to his knees, straddling her. With a grip like a   
vise the once meek boy wrapped his hands around Asuka's throat and   
began to squeeze.  
He had wanted to hold onto something from the world he'd known,   
even if it was this woman's throat. Shinji's grip tightened, his eyes   
glazed over a bit as he shut out the real world, all that mattered was   
this moment right now. Like all moments in history and in the future   
this one would not last.  
Shinji's death grip was destroyed by a single touch. Asuka's   
hand had reached up and caressed the boy's cheek. That single, tiny,   
insignificant motion forced Ikari back to the real world. Shinji's   
hands lost their vice grip on the German's throat, a second later and   
the Japanese boy had rolled off of Asuka.  
Asuka took the moment's respite to roll onto her hands and knees   
and lose her last liquid meal. Weakly the girl disgorged her stomach   
of all its contents.  
"I feel sick."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The End.  
  
  
  
  
  
*Chibi Dude Slayer does official Author's Jig*  
  
*The Dude Slayer walks onstage, his duster flapping gently at all   
times. TDS looks exhausted, with dark circles around his eyes.*  
  
TDS: *yawn* Gomen-nasi all. *stretch* I know its taken a while   
for me to finish this, so I apologize. I wanna do somethin' real quick   
before I forget. Hey bro, come on out.  
  
*Vampboy walks onstage, his duster lies flat on his shoulders*  
*Vampboy rifles through a set of note-cards as he walks.*  
  
VB: *looks at TDS* You sure I should do this?  
TDS: *yawns and waves* Yes dude. I'm beat, will ya just do this   
part. I'll have the Chibis do something next, okay?  
VB: *shrugs* Why not. I don't get enough screen time anyway.  
TDS: *groans and lies down* I keep tellin' ya ta start writin'   
again.  
VB: Shut up, bitch. *looks at cards, then to camera* Hi all.   
Well I'm here to do lazy ass's disclaimer. As you noticed there were a   
few things Non-Eva involved. We'll get to those in a moment. First   
off. NERV, the Evangelions, Tokyo 3, the Geo Front, and all characters   
(which there are too many to mention) are owned by Anno, a genius of   
untold caliber, and Gainax Studios.  
Next up is Frank Bama, Billy Cruiser, Trevor Kane, and Lone   
Palm Airport. These are owned by Jimmy Buffett, The Dude Slayer's   
favorite musician. I say anything that keeps him writing and keeps him   
from losing his small mind is good.  
  
*an object flies out and strikes Vampboy in the side of his head*  
  
VB: *picks up object, it's a brick* What the FUCK?! DUDE!  
TDS: *off camera* *sarcastically* DUDE! *angry* Just read the   
damn cards.  
VB: *grumbles* Next on the disclaimer list is the Gunsmith Cats   
characters. TDS tossed these in, cuz he's recently gone and become   
obsessed with them. Bean Bandit, "Minnie" May Hopkins, Rally Vincent,   
and Gunsmith Cats are all owned by Kenichi Sonoda, a pretty kool guy.   
Just wish he'd finish the "Riding Bean" series and the "Gunsmith Cats"   
mangas.  
Dude just left us hangin'! How's that for increased reader   
base. Anyway. TDS added these characters to deepen JC's character and   
he wanted to prove that even though JC could take a few hits and keep   
going. The man was not invulnerable. And that no matter HOW MUCH   
hardware the loon carried, he could run out.  
Now up is the major thing. JC's stigmatas, come on you   
know you all wanna know.  
  
*The Dude Slayer growls from off screen*  
  
VB: *gulp* *hurried* Well now to take over for me is   
Firefingers. CB, you're up!  
  
*Vampboy runs off stage*  
*A tall woman with dark blonde hair, wearing snakeskin pants, a   
black tanktop, and a red leather jacket walked onstage. A tiny glimmer   
of fiery orange light surrounded the woman.*  
  
*Firefingers waves cutely at the crowd*  
  
FF: *sweetly* Hi all! I'm Dude Slayer's sister, of sorts. He's   
letting me do this so I don't kick his ass.  
TDS: *off camera* Bitch!  
FF: *blows kiss off camera* You know you love me.  
TDS: *off camera* Ugh. I hate you all, you know that.  
FF: Fuck you too. Now, where was I? Oh yes. JC. JC was given   
the stigmata cuz my brother is too lazy to think up a fucking original   
way to kill off his prize character.  
TDS: *oc* Shut UP!  
FF: I love you!!  
TDS: *oc* Grr  
FF: Anyway... So in an attempt to prove that this story still   
centered around Eva and its centering around Christianity he did the   
*gasp* unthinkable. He killed off his own character. *gasp*  
TDS: *oc* I hate you.  
FF: This is what happens when you work the morning shift, get   
wasted, and stay up 'til who knows when talking to your girlfriend.  
  
*another brick flies from off camera*  
TDS: *oc* She is NOT my girlfriend!!!   
*Firefingers ducks under the brick and snarls*  
  
FF: Coulda fooled me. ^_^  
  
*The Dude Slayer growls and picks up his story boards for his   
next story. Grumbling he walks off to a room with a large gold star on   
it.*  
TDS: I'll be in my dressing room if anyone needs me.  
*The Dude Slayer slams the door behind him.*  
  
FF: Grumpy. Oh well. Let's see. Oh yeah the "Galaxy Express   
999" joke. Did anyone actually catch that? If so e-mail TDS at   
the_dude_slayer@alberta.com make him happy.  
Anything else. No? Oh yeah. DJ Croft is owned by some   
loser over at EYRIE PRODUCTIONS. DJ's such a loser. As you will see   
in this free OMAKE!!!! One last note. TDS had to discontinue his   
website for personal reasons....  
  
*Chibi Dude Slayer runs onstage*  
  
CDS: Hotwire and a bunch of Strike Fiss fans wanted to KILL   
HIM!!! ^_^ They wanted his head on a pike! On a big rusty pike.  
  
*Firefingers looks shocked*  
  
FF: What are you doing out of your cage?  
CDS: :P Fuck you, old hag. No cage can hold the Dude Slayer!!!  
FF: *picks up CDS and punts him backstage* GET LOST! And I'm   
not an old hag!  
  
*Firefingers rubs the bridge of her nose and sighs*  
FF: Idiot. Anyway. There were personal reasons for the   
discontinued site. So just enjoy this on Fanficiton.net until lazy   
bones gets back to work and rebuilds the site. So read the omake and   
leave us all alone. Dude Slayer has to get back to the new Barstool   
Sessions series. WOO HOO! I likey! ^_^  
  
  
Ja ne  
  
  
  
  
  
Omake  
  
  
  
The room was filled to capacity. Human bodies sat or lay in   
every possible position. Most were sitting on the floor bound and   
gagged. No one moved freely through the room, save one man.  
  
Clad in black from head to toe the man seemed like a walking   
shadow. Carefully he stepped over the bodies. The man took a quick   
glance around the room before removing his gas mask.  
His tanned features and black hair gave him a look of someone   
that had grown up on an island. The man placed the mask in his green   
duffel bag. He gave the room a once over as he made sure that everyone   
in this room was either choking on their own lungs and bile or was   
dead. Satisfied he picked up the bag and slung it over his left   
shoulder, and began walking down the hall to the elevator.  
As the man stepped into the elevator he could hear the gasping,   
choking words of one of the men in the room. His well trained ears   
picked up the teenage man's last words: "J...C...no..." The teenager   
fell over as a pool of blood and bile mixed together in the hallway.  
  
  
  
The shadow figure stood leaning against a derelict building. Out   
of the folds of his obsidian, armored trench coat he removed a remote   
control with a single red button on its surface. With a smile that   
betrayed malice and euphoria the man pressed the button.  
  
Buildings for ten kilometers in all directions either exploded in   
great fireballs of orange and red flame, or imploded upon themselves in   
great mushroom clouds of black and gray smoke. The smell of gunpowder   
and natural gas was thick in the air, almost a sign of what happened.  
  
The man picked up his green canvas duffel bag and began walking   
down the street. He had one last person to visit before his job would   
be complete. As the man walked away a trail of blood could be seen   
following him.  
  
  
Justice Complete Omake:  
To Kill A God  
  
  
  
  
DJ Croft sat in his apartment laughing at the scene on the   
television before him. Jerry Seinfeld was laughing and joking with his   
neighbor Kramer about something stupid. DJ reeled back in laughter   
until he heard a knock at the door.  
Cautiously DJ stood up and walked to the door. He removed his   
pistol and held it at the ready as he looked outside. As of recent he   
had become an international target among young up and coming authors.   
"Who goes there?" DJ asked in his thick British accent.  
His answer came in the reply of a strong, husky voice with a   
potent Spanish accent. "I'm just like you. An ACC with a bad rep.   
Please, let me in, I'm being hunted."  
DJ looked at the man before his door. Black hair, black clothes,   
a black trench coat, tan skin, and a green canvas duffel bag. DJ   
couldn't see the harm in opening the door for a fellow ACC, especially   
one that was being hunted. DJ also knew that if the man tried anything   
his "Aura of Smooth" would protect him.  
  
The shadow man stood in the hallway glaring at the door behind   
his threateningly dark mirrored sunglasses. As he heard the locks   
being to turn the man reached under his coat and placed his right hand   
on his left pistol. He jerked it out as the door slid open.  
Before the teenage boy before him could react the elder man had   
punched three bullets into the boys abdomen. Knowing the boy was   
unprepared for the attack he quickly jerked his leg up and kicked the   
younger person back and onto the floor.  
  
DJ fell onto the floor and held onto his stomach. He was   
currently in too much pain to protect himself. His gun had been thrown   
across the room, his "DJ Field" was unable to form itself with his   
divided concentration, and his martial arts skills were useless since   
he was unable to stand.  
  
With a gleaming smile the man placed his bag on the floor and   
removed his sunglasses, neatly tucking them into a pocket. Small   
trails of blood seemed to seep from a series of tiny pinpricks across   
the man's forehead Deftly he wiped a hand across his forehead and   
trained the gun on the boy before him.  
"Good evening Mr. Croft," his thick accent was gone and replaced   
by a more subdued but no less noticeable Spanish accent. "Do you know   
what I am?  
  
DJ looked up at the man. A slight tingle of fear flashed through   
his features. "You're a bloody ACC asshole."  
The man smiled. "You're right. I am an asshole, and I am an   
ACC. So one point for you. Now do you know what you are?"  
DJ attempted to look prideful and dangerous. "I am DJ Croft,   
Fifth Child and pilot of..." DJ's rant was cut short by his howls of   
pain.  
The man made a buzzer sound. "WRONG boy!" He held his smoking   
pistol down at his side. "I just put a .50 caliber bullet into your   
left lower thigh. The next wrong answer gets one in your right. Try   
again. What are you?"  
DJ glared at the man. "I am DJ Croft. Son of Fox Mulder and   
Lara Croft. I am designate Fifth Child..."  
The sound of a powerful pistol reverberated through the small   
room, again. The man let out a deep sigh. "Wrong again shithead. Now   
if you screw up again. I'm putting a bullet in a place that will   
assure you NEVER procreate. Which is probably a good thing." The man   
scratched his chin as if in deep thought.  
DJ watched as the man seemed to slip into his own little world   
for a moment. Seeing an opportunity DJ rolled onto his hands and knees   
and attempted to crawl into the next room, or to his gun at least.  
The man watched as DJ attempted to crawl away. With a lecherous   
smile he raised the Desert Eagle and pumped a round into each of DJ's   
palms, causing the boy to fall to floor in pain. "Stupid kid. Can't   
take a little pain. When I was your age I was pulling bullets out of   
my body every two days."  
  
DJ rolled over onto his back holding his hands in pain, tears   
slowly made their way down his cheeks. "Why, why are you doing this?"  
The man kneeled down at DJ's side and growled. "Someone has to   
end your reign of idiocy." He stood up once more and aimed the gun at   
DJ's right shoulder. "Now answer the question, what are you?"  
DJ whined. "I'm an ACC!"  
The man fired off another round, into DJ's right shoulder. "And   
a damn shitty one at that. Fucking God complex. The only good thing   
that came out of you is a comparison for authors to make, as in what   
NOT to do."  
  
DJ looked up the man that was shooting him. "Who are you?"  
The man looked down. "Moi? I am JC. I'm the guy that has   
decided to kill you as his last act to humanity. Seeing as how I'll be   
dead within the hour, I'd better be quick about this."  
DJ gave the man a curious look. "What do you mean?"  
JC glared. "You're supposed to be some kind of fucking super   
genius, figure it out. Bleeding hands, bleeding forehead, and bleeding   
side. Not too hard to understand is it?"  
DJ's eyes widened as he realized what his attacker was saying.   
"The stigmata!"  
JC smiled. "Ding, ding, ding, give the boy a prize." He aimed   
the pistol and punched another hole in the "pilot's" body, his left   
shoulder this time.  
DJ howled in pain.  
  
"DJ is something wrong," a mechanical voice asked.  
  
JC looked up at the voice. "Well I'll be damned. A HAL AI   
computer. Well fuck. Guess I'll have to burn this place to the ground   
too. Oh well. Not my problem." JC fired a round into the red circle   
in the corner of the room, destroying the camera.  
DJ stared in horror as his computer was slightly violated. "HAL   
NO!!!" Weakly DJ got to his feet and attempted to rush JC.  
  
JC turned to look at the boy "running" at him. With a roll of   
his eyes JC replaced his pistol and removed a hunting knife. As DJ got   
within range he jerked forward and embedded the blade within DJ's left   
ventricle. JC took a step back as the "god-boy" stood there holding   
the knife gasping for breath.  
The boy held the knife much like a lifeline as he inhaled his   
last breaths.  
JC watched as the boy fell to the floor gasping and trying not to   
die. Suddenly JC felt a twinge of regret as he looked at the body of a   
boy so many hated. JC could feel his knees weaken as he stood there   
looking down. Under his shirt he could feel the warm blood as it   
seeped from his wounds.  
  
The man once known as Judas fell to his knees. The man once   
known as the Hourglass Assassin fell to the floor. The man known as JC   
lay in an ever growing pool of his own blood as it drained from his   
dying body.  
The assassin lay there looking at the ceiling. "Unfamiliar   
ceiling," he commented as his face slowly began to loose its color. JC   
smiled as an inane thought came to mind.  
"Here lays Judas Moonflower Crenshaw, the Hourglass Assassin. He   
died of the holy stigmata of the Lord Jesus Christ. Though he lived   
his life as an atheist. Poetic justice it may be, but in his own words   
it has been Justice Complete." 


End file.
